LTO 7 PROBES PLAINT AGAINST DEPUTIZED TRAFFIC COPS

16 bus operators accused traffic policemen of asking for “grease money” from them in exchange for not impounding their vehicles, every time they apprehended the drivers

Land Transportation Office (LTO) 7 Director Victor Emmanuel Caindec yesterday said that his office is investigating the complaint of 16 bus operators in Cebu North Bus Terminal against LTO-deputized traffic policemen who keep on arresting them.

The 16 bus operators claimed that these traffic policemen are asking for “grease money or protection money” in exchange for not impounding their vehicles, every time they apprehended their drivers.

The operators, headed by Marissa Montecillo and Mamerto Escasiñas, filed a joint complaint before the LTO 7, which referred them to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) 7 under Director Ahmed Cuizon.

Escasiñas said that the LTFRB 7 then referred them to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), which has the mandate over the matter.

He said they are determined to file charges against the traffic policemen who are apprehending their units and who demanded money from them.

Caindec said it is the right of the bus operators to file complaints against these allegedly abusive traffic policemen.

He said they will revoke the deputation of the traffic policemen to issue a temporary operator’s permit (TOP) if the graft court or any competent court will decide to punish erring traffic officers.

For her part, LTO 7 Assistant Director Alita Pulga encouraged the bus operators to have complete documents in their vehicles to avoid getting apprehended, and to file complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman.

Pulga said the complaining operators would be in a better position to file charges against the erring traffic policemen if they had registered their vehicles in accordance with law.