MANILA, Philippines—Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief Virginia Torres brushed aside the criminal complaint filed by Stradcom Corporation over the agency’s failure to pay P1 billion to the troubled information technology firm.
“I welcome that [complaint]. I will answer it point by point and documented,” Torres said in an interview over Radyo Inquirer Friday.
Stradcom has an agreement with LTO to build, operate and maintain all its IT facilities at no cost to the government. In turn, Stradcom is entitled to the transaction fees collected from the users of its IT-based services.
Radyo Inquirer interviews Land Transportation Office chief Virginia Torres who brushed aside the criminal complaint filed by Stradcom Corporation over the agency’s failure to pay P1 billion to the troubled IT firm.
But the company is embroiled in a corporate dispute between two groups claiming ownership of the corporation.
The camp of Stradcom president Cesar Quiambao and corporate secretary Eric Pilapil filed the complaint against Torres at the Office of the Ombudsman for refusing to pay the P1 billion in rendered services to the LTO.
They said Torres refused to disburse the amount despite a payment order from the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC).
Torres however argued that the LTO could not pay Stradcom until the ownership issue was settled.
“The LTO through the Office of the Solicitor-General file an interpleader case to determine who is the true Stradcom representative,” she said.
Aside from Quiambao’s group, another group represented by Bonifacio Sumbilla is also claiming ownership of the company.
“We do not know whom to pay so we have filed the interpleader [because] if we will pay one group but turns out later that they are not the rightful representative, then it will become my personal liability,” Torres said.
She said the payment for Stradcom is deposited at the designated LTO-Stradcom escrow account.
“It will be paid to the rightful representative which will be determined by the court,” she said.
For the interview, listen to Radyo Inquirer, DZIQ 990 AM.