DoTr sacks top LTO-NCR execs over Discaya luxury cars

The Land Transportation Office-National Capital Region (LTO-NCR) director Roque Verzosa III and assistant regional director Atty. Dennis Barrion were relieved from their posts Monday as part of an ongoing investigation into the questionable registration of luxury vehicles linked to the couple Curlee and Sarah Discaya.

A Department of Transportation (DoTr) order, dated 20 November and signed by acting Secretary Giovanni Lopez, stated the two officials were reassigned “to ensure an independent investigation” and allow an unimpeded probe into the matter.

LTO Assistant Secretary Markus Lacanilao has been temporarily placed as the LTO-NCR regional director. Verzosa and Barrion will report directly to Lacanilao under the new special order.

“In the exigency of service, and in view of the ongoing investigation and audit being undertaken in relation to the Bugatti case, Discaya vehicles, and other related matters, the following key officials of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) are hereby designated and reassigned to the positions opposite their names, effective immediately,” the order stated.

The reassignment is intended to prevent any potential influence on the probe, Lopez said.

To recall, the Discayas are contractors implicated in allegedly anomalous flood control projects. The Independent Commission for Infrastructure has previously considered including chiefs from the Bureau of Customs and the LTO in the probe regarding the couple’s luxury vehicles.

Several high-end vehicles seized from the Discayas were recently put up for auction by the Bureau of Customs. Only three units were successfully sold, generating P38 million for government coffers, a result that fell short of earlier expectations that the auction would generate at least P1 billion.