By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD CITY – The Land Transportation Office (LTO) Negros Occidental Licensing Center has validated the driver’s license issued to an Indian fugitive as authentic.
In a reply letter to the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), signed by Chief Joseph Danoy Sr., the licensing center confirmed that the driver’s license issued to “Kant Gupta” of Barangay Taculing on March 7, 2022, is valid and authentic based on their records.
The licensing center also noted that Gupta obtained his student permit from their office on January 16, 2022.
Records showed that upon application, Gupta submitted his Theoretical Driving Course Certificate and passport, which reflected “Filipino” and “Nepalese” citizenships, as stated in the LTO letter.
However, due to data entered during his enrollment in the Land Transportation Management System (LTMS) public portal, his citizenship was recorded as “Filipino.”
This appeared on his driver’s license, the LTO said.
The BCPO had earlier asked the LTO Negros Occidental Licensing Center to verify Gupta’s driver’s license in relation to an investigation by the city police into a potential fraudulent license.
The police were puzzled why Gupta’s driver’s license listed him as a Filipino citizen.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Joery Puerto, head of the City Investigation and Detection Management Unit (CIDMU), sent a letter to the LTO to uphold the integrity of official documents and ensure public safety.
In a recent interview, Puerto told Daily Guardian that the LTO found no lapses, as Gupta complied with the LTMS requirements.
The LTO presumed the documents Gupta provided were correct but stressed the need to improve their system.
Puerto noted that Gupta holds two passports with Filipino and Nepalese nationalities and the Bureau of Immigration (BI) is responsible for verifying his citizenship.
Gupta, who also goes by the name Joginder Geong, alias “Joginder Geyong,” was ordered arrested by the BI for violating the Philippine Immigration Law, Commonwealth Act No. 613, as an undesirable alien.
The 40-year-old suspect was arrested at his rented house in Barangay Taculing on July 1.
He is wanted for various serious offenses in India, including murder, attempted murder, extortion, and robbery.
He allegedly led an organized crime syndicate and has been sentenced to life imprisonment for violating arms laws in India.
There are also allegations linking him to a terrorist group, though local police have no details on this.
Meanwhile, Mayor Alfredo “Albee” Benitez, on the “Isugid Kay Mayor” radio program, said he would reach out to the BI and LTO-6 regarding the matter.
Benitez mentioned that with recent technological advancements, everything is now online, so documents may not be properly validated.
Benitez said the issuance of the driver’s license might have been intentional or due to a weakness in the LTO system.
He requested a report from the LTO to address the issue properly, aiming to identify any lapses or gaps.
