THREE employees of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) were arrested and will face charges of qualified theft and robbery after they were caught stealing license plates from the agency’s plate making plant in Quezon City.
A fourth suspect, said to be the leader of the group, remained at-large, said LTO chief Vigor Mendoza II.
At a press conference on Friday, the official identified the three suspects as Jenard Arida and Arjay Anasco, both embossers; and warehouse staffer Valeriano Nerizon.
All three were working at the plate making plant at the LTO Central Office in Quezon City.
Allan Joker Abrigo, who is suspected to be the team leader, is now being hunted down, according to Mendoza.
The suspects will face charges of violating Article 310 for qualified theft, and Article 294 for robbery of the Revised Penal Code, along with administrative charges.
“We will not tolerate this kind of illegal activity and we will make sure that those who would dare to continue with their wrongdoings will be caught and held responsible,” Mendoza said.
An investigation showed that the LTO employees were selling the license plates for P10,000 apiece.
“We are now trying to determine how long and how many license plates have been stolen by these errant employees,” said Mendoza.
“There is a syndicate behind these people involved in carnapping, smuggling and other serious crimes,” he said.
“We will run after the mastermind and the buyers. It appears na matagal na itong embedded at the LTO. More employees will be investigated as part of our weeding out of scalawags,” he said.
