The purpose of this repeat revelations is to acquaint the present City
officials of the issuances of previous franchises by LTFRB in violation
of the moratorium but were palpably not addressed by their predecessors
thereby allowing thousands of public utility vehicles to operate in the city
with illegal or void franchises or Certificates of Public Convenience— JSV.
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I I
Simultaneously with the issuance of false CPCs without applications and payment of fees as alluded to in Part 2, LTFRB Region 1 through its ninja fixers strategized another circumvention of the moratorium in that it permitted applications of vehicle-for-hire of vans to operate in Region 1 with base of operation in Baguio City and subsequently allowing their conversion to Mega Taxi service which later became ordinary taxi, without the express authorization of the Board en banc. Hundreds of taxis in the city still operate with CPCs converted from vehicle-for-hire without authority by the Board en banc and in violation of the City’s moratorium.
I I I
Many other irregularities by LTFRB Region 1 in the grant of franchises especially in Baguio City and CAR in violation of moratorium were committed by ninja fixers during the period from 1996 until before the transfer of franchising functions to the LTFRB-CAR in 2003. To sum them up since they are numerous, the herein Memorandum Report by personnel who conducted the investigation ordered by the Board en banc is better published en toto for the information of all who did not come to know these anomalies before, thus:
“MEMORANDUM 21 December 1998
For: THE BOARD
From: Exec. Director Cecille S. Abella
Atty. Ray M. Rodriguez
Engr. Rogelio Oasan
Mr. Alberto L. Ruiz Jr.
Mr. Reynaldo Lavario
“Re: Report on the Verification of Records and Documents of R-1 LTFRB
per Affidavit-Complaint of Atty. James S. Valeros
“Pursuant to the Board’s Order directing the above-mentioned employees of the Board to proceed to LTFRB Region 1 San Fernando, La Union, to conduct an examination of office records and documents as contained in the Affidavit-Complaint of Atty. James S. Valeros.
(2)
“The following are the findings and observations, to wit:
1. That the documents attached to the above-mentioned complaint were confirmed by Ms. Arlene D. Rimando, Records Officer, La Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Region 1 and per docket book of the said office;
2. That the sale and transfer of units/CPC granted are without mother case or main case folder;
3. That there are cases of kabit legalization with dropping and substitution wherein CPC no longer exist or already cancelled were granted;
4. That several transactions are happening to circumvent the moratorium policy of the Board through kabit legalization, appropriation, sale and transfer, dropping and substitution, petition to register in lieu and conversion of vehicle-for-hire taxi to mega taxi;
5. That the case numbers specifically mentioned in the complaint confirms the existence of anomalous transaction being undertaken;
6. That the docket books of R1-LTFRB are improperly maintained considering that unauthorized entries are made and non-docketing of transactions and missing pages are very apparent upon examination, and
7. That there are cases of missing case records specifically those on sale and transfer with dropping and substitution, kabit legalization with dropping and substitution and cancelled CPC later with kabit legalization with dropping and substitution.
“In view of the foregoing, we recommend the immediate stoppage of the processing of applications/petitions for new CPC, sale and transfer, sale and transfer with dropping and substitution, kabit legalization with dropping and substitution and the like except special permits and extension of validity and to undertake the immediate inventory of cases R1-LTFRB to prevent the further loss of case records.”
(signed by Exec. Director Abella, et. al…)