The Philippine Online Chronicles

Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) chairman Nelson Laluces has filed a courtesy resignation in order to give Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) secretary Mar Roxas a free hand in choosing his own people.

Roxas accepted Laluces's resignation, saying “The gesture of Mr. Laluces is proof that the current crop of presidential appointees have nothing but pure service in mind. We can only admire his values and his work ethic.”

Laluces will still have to serve as the LTFRB chair “to ensure the continuous services of the agency” until his replacement, Roxas said.

The DOTC chief added, “It is worth noting that Mr. Laluces and all other heads of the line agencies and attacjed agencies – myself included – work at the pleasure of the President.”

Some reports speculate that Laluces' resignation may have come following the alleged “turf war” between Malacañang's Balay and Samar groups. 'Balay' is named after Aquino's official headquarters in Cubao during his presidential campaign, while 'Samar' is made up of lawyers and non-Liberal Party members.

Executive secretary Pacquito Ochoa, who heads the Samar faction, recommended Laluces as LTFRB chair, while Roxas is from Balay.

Laluces is the seventh government agancy head to resign under the Aquino administration.

Jesus “Ping” de Jesus quit as DOTC chief in June this year, while tourism secretary Alberto Lim recently left his post both due to “personal reasons.”