Sacked Bicol LTFRB chief tells boss to quit too

LEGAZPI CITY — The sacked Bicol director of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) went out with a bang, accusing LTFRB Chair Martin Delgra of corruption, too, and challenging him to quit his post as well.

Jun Abrazaldo, sacked LTFRB Bicol director, protested his relief from office because of alleged corruption and, in an outburst made in full view of other LTFRB regional officials, employees and reporters, accused Delgra of corruption himself.

Delgra simply nodded as Abrazaldo openly accused the LTFRB chief of interfering on behalf of bus companies facing franchise suspension or public utility vehicle drivers apprehended for violations.

Abrazaldo accused Delgra of “lawyering” for erring drivers.

Text, calls

“You even text or call sometimes whenever we have impounded [a vehicle or] arrested someone,” said Abrazaldo in a flag ceremony at the LTFRB regional office.

“Isn’t that lawyering for those arrested?” Abrazaldo said.

In online reports about the outburst, Abrazaldo was also quoted as saying that Delgra would quickly call to intervene whenever the regional LTFRB office apprehended colorum, or unlicensed, buses and advised the regional office that it does not have jurisdiction over unlicensed public utility vehicles.

“Sir, you accused and made me corrupt before the President but it was you who intervened in a [bus] franchise with violation under our jurisdiction,” Abrazaldo was quoted as telling Delgra over the microphone that was used during a flag ceremony at the LTFRB regional office.

Abrazaldo said one of the bus firms facing a cancellation of franchise case at the LTFRB regional office had one of its units involved in an accident with three fatalities. Delgra allegedly intervened for this bus firm, but Abrazaldo did not identify the company.

Challenging Delgra

The sacked regional LTFRB chief said Delgra should leave the agency, too. “Let’s quit together,” Abrazaldo said.

Delgra said Abrazaldo was being replaced “on grounds of corruption” but refused to discuss the charges against Abrazaldo in detail.

Abrazaldo’s alleged corruption was listed in a confidential report from the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency dated Dec. 19, 2017 and received by Delgra last January.

Vladimir Custer Kahulugan replaced Abrazaldo as LTFRB Bicol chief. Abrazaldo said Delgra eased him out to give way to Kahulugan.

Abrazaldo insisted on his innocence.

“I have not done anything wrong,” he said. He pointed to what he said were his achievements in the campaign against unlicensed public utility vehicles.

During his tenure as Bicol LTFRB chief, Abrazaldo said the agency’s impounding area was “always full” of vehicles that had been impounded because of violations. —WITH A REPORT FROM MARK FRANCIS BANAY