2 DOTr execs suspended for corruption

Two more Department of Transportation (DOTr) officials ran into trouble with their higher-ups, getting suspended for corruption and, one of them, for gun-toting.

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, in two separate letters dated May 21, suspended Eduardo Natividad as DOTr Cordillera regional director and Datu Mohammad Abbas as assistant Cordillera regional director.

Both officials were accused of extortion. Goddes Libiran, DOTr communications director, said Natividad demanded money in exchange for certificates of public convenience.

Natividad also required district officials to remit to him monthly proceeds from tong collections, Libiran said.

Natividad, Libiran added, was also frequently absent and failed to operate against colorums, or vehicles operating as public utility vehicles without licenses.

Abbas was accused of extorting money in exchange for the release of impounded vehicles.

He was also accused of brandishing a gun by a certain Regina Migano, who had been tagged by Abbas as a fixer. —Krixia Subingsubing