Manila, Philippines – Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) Secretary Manuel “Mar” A. Roxas II will file a case against Stradcom to recoup about P2 billion that the private Information Technology (IT) company collected through its alleged illegal use of communications data stored at the State-owned Land Transportation Office (LTO).
“The legal department is finalizing the DoTC’s legal position on the matter considering that this is unauthorized,” Roxas said. He, however, refused to reveal this strategy publicly but would do so only in closed doors.
Roxas stressed this point when he appeared before the Senate Finance Sub-committee chaired by Sen. Ralph G. Recto to defend the proposed P32-billion DoTC 2012 budget yesterday.
The P2-billion figure was considered a “loss’’ by Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson who explained that a Commission on Audit (CoA) report stated that
Stradcom should have given the LTO’s just share for such an alleged illegal interconnectivity.
Lacson pointed out that the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) had recommended a revenue-sharing scheme between Stradcom and LTO. (Mario B. Casayuran)