Mendoza warns vs fixing anew

Mendoza warns vs fixing anew | Daily Tribune

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) on Tuesday has warned those who are engaging in fixing operations at the agency anew following the arrest of two fixers in an entrapment operation at its central office recently.

LTO chief Assistant Secretary Atty. Vigor Mendoza II stressed that the agency will intensify its efforts in curbing fixing in the LTO as he lauded the operation launched by the joint personnel of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) and the Special Project Group of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

“This is proof that operations against fixers remain aggressive in line with the instruction of Department of Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista,” Mendoza said.

Operatives nabbed the suspects identified as sisters Teresita dela Cruz and Kathleen Joy dela Cruz, both residents of Tondo, Manila.

The operation stemmed from the complaint of a 26-year-old man who said that the two did not deliver their promise of fast transaction of his non-professional driver’s license after paying P6,800 on 8 March.

In his complaint, the victim said that he was forced to seek the assistance of the police after the Dela Cruz sisters were again demanding additional P1,350.

An entrapment operation was immediately mapped out by personnel of the LTO Intelligence and Investigation Division director Renante Militante, personnel from the QCPD Station 10 headed by Police Lt. Col. Bob Amoranto and Police Lt. Col. Rolan Kingat, head of the Office of the Internal Security-Special Project Group.

The suspects were arrested around 2 p.m. on Monday in Barangay Pinyahan, Quezon City and during the investigation, the victim said he was convinced to deal with the suspects after they claimed that they have strong connections inside the LTO Central Office.

Meantime, Mendoza warned the public against fixers that include scammers online.

“We would like to remind the public again that our transaction in the LTO is already fast. So please do not be fooled by the sweet words of these fixers,” Mendoza said. “This should also send a strong message that the LTO is serious in its goal of weeding out fixers and scammers using our agency.”

Mendoza also reiterated his instruction to all LTO regional directors to continuously implement the aggressive campaign against fixers in their respective areas and beef up the information drive to deny fixers and online scammers to victimized LTO clients.