Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

LTFRB Executive Director Atty. Samuel Jardin during the committee hearing on allowing two-wheeled motorcycles for hire as public transportation and the policies of the DOTr and LTFRB on PITx at the Senate of the Philippines in Pasay City on January 30, 2019. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/file

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Jardin

Job Manahan

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175550425125720190130-samuel-jardin-gc_000_0760.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">LTFRB Executive Director Atty. Samuel Jardin during the committee hearing on allowing two-wheeled motorcycles for hire as public transportation and the policies of the DOTr and LTFRB on PITx at the Senate of the Philippines in Pasay City on January 30, 2019. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/file</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Sandiganbayan has found former Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) executive director Samuel Jardin guilty of receiving a P4.6 million bribe for a franchise application.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/04/08/19/suspended-ltfrb-exec-slams-fabricated-bribery-claims">Suspended LTFRB exec slams &#x27;fabricated&#x27; bribery claims</a></div><p>In the 88-page ruling by the Sandiganbayan 6th Division, Jardin was found guilty beyond reasonable doubt of violation of Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, based on the CCTV footage available and the testimony of Michelle Sapangila – representative of the SM Tungko MOA Operators and Drivers, Inc.</p><p>Jardin was sentenced to be imprisoned from 6 to 10 years and perpetual disqualification from public office.</p><p>He was also ordered to return the P4.6 million he received to the Sandiganbayan, which is subject to a legal interest of 6 percent per annum “from the finality of judgment until fully paid.”</p><p>This bribe money was supposed to be for the issuance of a Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC). </p><p>Sapangila testified that on March 27, 2019, an exchange of money happened in two tranches, through a certain “Madam Lolit” to Jardin.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/04/04/19/ltfrb-executive-director-suspended-over-alleged-p4-m-bribe">LTFRB executive director suspended over alleged P4.8-M bribe</a></div><p>“First. Sapangila testified that she placed the amount of 100,000.00 in a red envelope (Ang Pao) and handed the same to Madam Lolit; She also heard Madam Lolit tell accused Jardin that she has the 100,000.00 and that the money for the per unit is forthcoming; she witnessed Madam Lolit slip the said red envelope inside the right pocket of accused Jardin&#x27;s pants,” the document read.</p><p>“It is clear that accused Jardin represented to Sapangila that he will secure the approval of STFMODAl&#x27;s Application for CPC, which was submitted through Sapangila as its representative, and that such will be accomplished upon the payment of the amount of P4.5 million, as communicated to her by Madam Lolit,” it said.</p><p>“When accused Jardin said the words ‘lumalakad na po’; and showed Sapangila that her Application for CPC was already on his desk, this signaled to Sapangila that accused Jardin, as then Executive Director, was processing the said application,” it added.</p><p>Sapangila also testified that an initial P100,000 inside a red envelope was slipped inside Jardin’s pocket.</p><p>Aside from this, a CCTV footage supposedly showed that when Sapangila was seated and after she stood up, the three of them – Jardin, Sapangila, and “Madam Lolit” remained in “animated conversation.”</p><p>“Sapangila testified that she gave Madam Lolit P4.5 million, that she witnessed Madam Lolit hand over the bag containing the money to accused Jardin, and that accused Jardin acknowledged receipt of the same,” the document read.</p><p>Jardin denied this, but the anti-graft court was not convinced.</p><p>“The videos show that this lasted for three minutes. While the CCTV recordings have no audio, the length of their conversation would certainly be longer than just a curt ‘Kasuhan mo sila. Kasuhan mо’ reply from accused Jardin,” the decision read.</p><p>“The Court finds such nonchalant reaction of accused Jardin, a high-ranking official, odd and inconsistent with human nature,” it added.</p><p>The decision was penned by Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Sarah Jane Fernandez. Associate Justices Kevin Vivero and Lord Villanueva concurred with the decision. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PxRrF7Xe1gY?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The Sandiganbayan has found former LTFRB executive director Samuel Jardin guilty of receiving a P4.6 million bribery for a franchise application.</p>

The Sandiganbayan has found former LTFRB executive director Samuel Jardin guilty of receiving a P4.6 million bribery for a franchise application.

Ex-LTFRB exec gets up to 10 years in prison over P4.6-M bribery

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Ex-LTFRB exec gets up to 10 years in prison over P4.6-M bribery

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Aug 18, 2025 04:07 PM PHT

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Updated Aug 19, 2025 08:43 AM PHT

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Sandiganbayan

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