A PARTY-list lawmaker has called on the Office of the Ombudsman to investigate and immediately suspend officials and staff of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board responsible for the missing accreditation documents of transport network companies Grab and Uber.
“I call upon the Office of the Ombudsman to exercise its power of motu proprio investigation on this matter and to immediately preventively suspend all the responsible officials and personnel pending investigation,” Aangat Tayo party-list Rep. Neil Abayon said in a statement.
LTFRB board member Aileen Lizada had said the accreditation papers of Grab and Uber were missing.
“Ever since we assumed office last year, we tried to locate the accreditation folders of both Uber and Grab. However, after searching the office of the [executive director] and the office of the chairman, they are nowhere to be found,” Lizada told reporters.
The LTFRB is currently deliberating on the renewal of accreditation of Grab and Uber.
Grab’s accreditation expired on July 3 while Uber’s will expire on August.
But Lizada said that while the documents were missing, this would not affect the renewal of their accreditation.
Meanwhile, Abayon said he was not surprised by Lizada’s revelation.
“It simply and clearly proves the intensity of the gross negligence of not just the top officials of the LTFRB but even of the middle level managers and rank and file responsible for the recording, processing, and safekeeping of those files,” Abayon said.
He urged Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade to appoint LTFRB officials and personnel who would replace those who would preventively suspended pending investigation.
Abayon said he would immediately file a resolution in the House of Representatives calling for an inquiry into the supposed “gross incompetence and neglect of duty” of the LTFRB officials once the second regular session resumes on Monday.