VARIOUS transport organization leaders have expressed dismay over the continuous refusal of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to act on the case of Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief Virginia Torres despite of its earlier recommendation to dismiss and file charges against her in connection with her reported involvement on the failed Stradcom Corp. take over on December last year.

Moreover, Zenaida Maranan, President of the Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines, appealed to President Benigno Aquino 3rd to replace Torres at the agency.

The Justice department fact-finding panel earlier recommended the dismissal from service of Torres and the filing of administrative charges against her for “actions and inactions” during the failed takeover of Stradcom last year staged by a group of businessmen led by Bonifacio Sumbilla and Aderito Yujuico.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, however, maintained that it is up to President Aquino to decide on the fate of Torres because she is a presidential appointee.

She added that the department could not force Malacañang to act on their recommendation or adopt it fully.

Maranan, however, insisted that Torres is chosen from the organic LTO and did not resign her government post when she was appointed as chief of the agency and therefore must be subjected to normal government administrative procedures.

The transport leader added that the stand of the Justice department and Malacañang on the matter sends a wrong signal to the transport sector stakeholders and the rest of the Filipino people.

This means, she said, that anyone who is an appointee of President Aquino could do everything they want as long as they are within the president circle of friends and associates.

Moreover, another transport leader who requested anonymity said the stand of Malacañang on the Torres issue raises question on the sincerity of the President to run this country in a “straight path”.

“The president vowed to fight all forms of corruption and irregularities and yet still want to keep his appointees despite the finding of DOJ,” the leader added.

Malacañang earlier said Torres, a shooting buddy of the president, is not yet off the hook in the Stradcom takeover case and that it is still reviewing that fact-finding report of the department.