CEBU CITY – It looks like some local officials in Bohol are not a fan of Victor Caindec, chief of the Land Transportation Office-Central Visayas (LTO 7).
The Sangguniang Bayan (SB) of Panglao passed a resolution Monday, Aug. 22, expressing “vehement objection and disapprobation” over Caindec’s possible “re-appointment or new appointment in any public office in whatever capacity or function.”
The resolution addressed to the Office of the President was authored and sponsored by Councilor Fielle Anthony S. Dumaluan and adopted by the majority of the members of the council.
The resolution was certified by SB Secretary Analyn A. Apduhan and attested to by Vice Mayor Noel E. Hormachuelos.
In the resolution, the SB accused Caindec and his field personnel of grave abuse of discretion by issuing medical certificates to a considerable number of student permit applicants even without allegedly conducting actual medical examination by the doctor whose signature appeared in the document and who is not accredited to practice in Bohol, particularly in Panglao.
The council claimed the doctor committed a violation against the town’s existing municipal ordinance by not first securing occupational permit and business permit before practicing his medical profession in the municipality.
“Whereas, Mr. Victor Emmanuel Caindec, in connivance with his field personnel, committed an act of forgery and falsification of documents by forging the signature of the medical doctor whose signature appeared in the medical certificate issued to student permit applicants,” a portion of the resolution said.
The SB also said that days before the May 9, 2022 national and local elections, Caindec and his daughter-in-law, then Councilor Amira Alia Montero-Caindec, also of Panglao, were accused of electioneering and graft and corruption before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
Hormachuelos, who was a councilor at that time, filed the complaint with request for investigation before the NBI against the Caindecs.
He alleged that the LTO-7 conducted a free Theoretical Driving Classes (TDC) last March 29 and 30 in Tagbilaran City and Panglao, Dauis, and Garcia-Hernandez, all in Bohol, during the election period without authorization from the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
During the conduct of the free TDC in Panglao, Hormachuelos alleged that Caindec and Amira, a mayoral candidate of Pangalo, promoted the activity as their joint initiative. There were 500 beneficiaries during the first batch and approximately 1,000 beneficiaries during the second batch.
In addition, Hormachuelos also alleged that beneficiaries were made to pay medical examination fees ranging from P500 to P700 for medical certificates allegedly issued without an actual physical examination conducted by a doctor present who is accredited in Bohol.
Receipts were issued under business name of St. Jude Medical Clinic with business address at A&S Bldg., M.V. Patalinghug Ave., Pajo, Lapu-Lapu City.
Hormachuelos claimed that verification from various sources confirmed that such clinic does not exist in the area and the receipt in question does not also follow the prescribed format as mandated by existing revenue regulations issued by the Bureau of Internal Revenue.
The Manila Bulletin reached out to Caindec to seek comment but he has yet to issue a statement as of posting time.