TOMAS WANTS ‘COUNTER-FLOWING ENFORCER’ SACKED
Osmeña says he has warned CTTO personnel to follow the rules they implement, and he’ll sack enforcer caught counter-flowing while off-duty
For allegedly counter-flowing while off-duty, a traffic enforcer will lose his job.
In his news conference yesterday, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said he will fire the enforcer for “smearing the name” of the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO).
“I’m setting an example. As if they don’t know the law, they are implementing the law. I don’t need them. He’s a bad image for the entire CCTO. On my watch, you’re guilty unless you prove your innocence. I don’t have time to analyze all the due process. I gave the warning already. Now, it’s public execution,” Osmeña told reporters.
Since last Feb. 5, CCTO has been impounding for 30 days the vehicles of drivers caught counter-flowing, as provided under Executive Order (EO) 34.
In a separate interview, CCTO operations chief Francisco Ouano said he respects the mayor’s decision and shares his sentiment.
He said he would have pardoned the personnel if he was on-duty, giving him the benefit of the doubt that he may have been responding to an emergency.
“I would’ve forgiven him if he was in his uniform, but no one is above the law. They all know we’re strict with the implementation of EO 34. We’re the ones implementing it, so why should we violate?” Ouano said.
According to Ouano, the traffic enforcer was off-duty when he was apprehended by his colleagues for counter-flowing on Gen. Maxilom Ave. last Tuesday.
The personnel was a casual employee and has been with CCTO for the past decade, Ouano added.
SunStar Cebu is withholding the traffic enforcer’s name pending his comment on the matter.
CCTO has impounded 148 motorcycles from April 24 to 26, including that of one of its traffic enforcers.