Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said he is willing to file a resolution for the Senate to investigate the alleged corruption in the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) if no one else seriously pursues it.
Pimentel made the remark after Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista on Wednesday called on the National Bureau of Investigation to conduct an independent probe on the alleged corrupt practices in the transportation regulatory body.
“If NBI will investigate then [okay] na pala (we’re okay with it). ‘Pag walang mag (if no one will) take charge then Senate should come in because of the public interest issue,” Pimentel said in a text message to reporters.
“If no one seriously pursues this issue then I will file a [resolution] for the Senate to investigate this,” he added.
Meanwhile, Senate public services committee chairperson Grace Poe said the sudden retraction of Jeff Tumbado should also be investigated.
Tumbado on Wednesday recanted his allegations of corruption against Bautista, and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board chairman Teofilo Guadiz III.
Poe said they do not tolerate false testimonies, but that a proper audit should be done in the LTFRB. She also hoped that more “legitimate whistleblowers” will come out to testify on anomalies in any government agency.
Source: PhilNews24 | October 11, 2023
