News Briefs
LTO execs face probe on fake registration
THREE officers of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) are in hot water for allegedly issuing a counterfeit vehicle registration certificate to a woman.
The Ombudsman-Visayas requested the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to investigate the case. Named respondents were LTO’s Gavino Paden, Jose Rizaldo and James Kabuyaw.
The case stemmed from the complaint of Jose Nelson Ko, president of Golden Sun Finance Corp. In June 2007, a certain Emma Cosep availed of a P220,000 car loan from the company.
Cosep wanted to purchase a 2004 Mitsubishi Adventure GLX M/T from car dealer Alma Gonzales.
The loan was approved and released to Gonzales who transferred the vehicle from Lirajoy Laurel of Pasay City.
The complainant discovered that the Certificate of Registration dated June 13, 2007, in Laurel’s name was “illegally” issued by the LTO Polomolok Extension Office in South Cotabato headed by Rizaldo.
Gonzales allegedly facilitated the transfer of the vehicle registration from Laurel to Cosep.
A Certificate of Registration was then issued by Paden, a former LTO officer in Toledo City now assigned at the LTO Mandaue City office.
Cosep discovered that the vehicle was encumbered to Philam Savings Bank. The vehicle was also reportedly registered to a certain Regina Madrigal Sarmiento.
The complainant said the court later took possession of the vehicle by virtue of a Writ of Replevin.
Ko said the vehicle was mortgaged and that Rizaldo and Paden reportedly facilitated the illegal registration of the vehicle.
Kabuyaw, the records section chief of the LTO in Toledo City, was dragged in the case since he refused to answer the queries of the complainant.
Ko believed that Kabuyaw conspired with the other respondents.
In his counter-affidavit, Rizaldo denied having worked at the LTO Polomolok field office when the alleged certification took place.
He said he didn’t issue the certificate to the complainant.
In fact, Rizaldo said the signature that appeared on the vehicle registration certificate was not his.
The other respondents failed to refute the allegations.
The anti-graft office said the documents submitted by the complainant were all photocopied. Reporter Ador Vincent Mayol
PB support on amending Juvenile Justice Law
THE Cebu Provincial Board (PB) passed a resolution supporting the proposal to amend the minimum age of criminal responsibility under Republic Act 9344 or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act.
The PB resolution blamed “the resurgence of crimes principally committed by minors to adult criminal syndicates who exploit the children due to their exemption from criminal prosecution under the law.”
Section 6 of the RA 9344 states that a child 15 years of age or under at the time of the commission of the offense shall be exempted from criminal liability.
The juvenile offender will instead undergo an intervention program unless it is proven that he or she has acted with discernment.
The PB resolution said “today’s generation of teenagers reach psychological and emotional maturity earlier than what their biological age would indicate.”
The resolution is sponsored by PB member Jude Thaddeus Sybico and co-sponsored by PB Peter John Calderon.
A copy of the resolution will be furnished to the office of House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.
Last week, Deputy House Speaker Pablo Garcia said he is confident that the the country’s Juvenile Justice Law will be amended by the Lower House before the year ends.
Last year, Garcia filed House Bill 2894 that sought to rationalize the fixing of the minimum age of criminal liability during the regular session o f the 15th Congress. Correspondent Carmel Loise Matus
