4 councilors fined for illegal parking
At least 12 traffic enforcers of Cebu City Transportation Office and deputies from Task Force Alpha received P2,000 each as reward from Mayor Tomas Osmeña, for enforcing traffic rules against four city councilors, whose vehicles were found illegally parked.
These enforcers clamped the vehicles of Councilors Sisinio Andales, Mary Ann delos Santos, Eugenio Gabuya Jr., and Jocelyn Pesquera. The four councilors have paid the administrative fine to the CCTO without asking for a compromise.
CCTO Operations chief Francisco Ouano said the clamping of vehicles took place near the respective houses of those city officials in December 2017 and late last month.
“Nalipay sab ta nga gisuportaan ni mayor atong kampanya batok sa illegal parking bisa’g kinsa pa ang tag-iya sa sakyanan, walay exception,”
Ouano told reporters.
The councilors concerned also lauded the enforcers for enforcing the traffic rules regardless of who are caught violating the law.
“Walay pabor-pabor. That is why I admired Mayor Tommy for his strong political will to enforce our laws regardless of political colors,” Andales said.
Delos Santos, for her part, said she will support the strict implementation of the traffic rules and other ordinances of the city without exceptions. She apologized to the riding public, who may have been inconvenienced by the incident.
Gabuya said he understand that the enforcers were just doing their job. Pesquera, on the other hand, said she was never remiss in reminding her driver to always follow traffic rules. Pesquera said she paid the penalty because the car was registered under her name.
Osmeña said the cash reward was his personal money.
“I’m giving them P2,000 each as a reward just to make it clear to everybody, walay pili-pili sa clamping. You clamp the mayor’s car, you get double. You clamp police, you get double. You clamp the chief of police, triple,” he told reporters.
Ouano said the city government is sending a warning to all motorists and to the public that they will be more aggressive in implementing traffic laws even against government officials.
He said enforcers have also clamped illegally parked ambulances, garbage trucks, barangay buses, among others.
“Dili man ta kahibaw kon kinsa nang sakyanan ug among gi-awhag gyud among enforcers nga dili magduhaduha bisa’g kinsay tag-iya sa sakyanan,” he said.
He urged motorists to park their vehicles in designated parking areas and not on the street to avoid obstruction of traffic.
Owners of clamped vehicles will have to pay P1,000 as clamping fee and fine for illegal parking.