LTO probes Trento law enforcer over alleged ₱1,000 bribe
SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur (MindaNews / 09 November) – The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has launched an investigation into a law enforcement team leader assigned in Trento town, Agusan del Sur after he was accused of extorting grease money from a truck driver on October 25.
LTO chief Assistant Secretary Markus V. Lacanilao issued a show cause order (SCO) directing the personnel of the LTO Trento Extension Office to submit a written explanation within five days of receiving the directive.
Lacanilao’s warning was posted in Land Transportation Office-Philippines social media page on November 7.
In a telephone interview, truck driver Ricardo Bondoc, who was traveling from Manila to Davao City, recounted that one of two LTO personnel approached him at around 5:30 a.m. as he was heading to an eatery for breakfast.
Bondoc said he was surprised when the officers ordered him to open the driver’s door and then claimed he had violated the uniform policy.
“They asked me for P1,300, but I told them I only had P300 for breakfast. They insisted P1,000 would be enough,” Bondoc said. He added that this was the first time he had been asked for such a large sum while traveling in Mindanao, as he usually pays only P50 to P100 to authorities for merienda.
Angered by the incident, Bondoc immediately went live on his Facebook page to voice his outrage, accusing the LTO of grave corruption. In the video, he could be heard protesting what he described as fabricated violations by the officers along the highway in Trento, Agusan del Sur.
“I was so mad at what happened that I posted my feelings about how they treated me,” Bondoc said.
However, LTO Trento head Greg Patrick Pabilonio told X FM San Francisco in an interview that his men did not ask for any “grease money.” He explained that the officers only noted that the driver was wearing slippers and shorts, which he described as a violation of proper driver attire.
Lacanilao said the alleged extortion, if proven, constitutes a clear violation of the 2025 Rules on Administrative Cases of the Civil Service.
He also warned the concerned LTO enforcer that failure to respond within the prescribed period would be deemed a waiver of his right to answer or contest the allegations, and that the agency would decide the case based solely on available evidence. (Chris V. Panganiban / MindaNews)
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