Oplan Red Plate catches 10 govt cars on Nov. 1, 2

CEBU - At least 10 government vehicles were caught by the Oplan Red Plate task force of the Office of the Ombudsman being used during the All Souls and All Saints Day.

Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Pelagio Apostol said that five of these vehicles were caught in Cebu and the other five were caught in Iloilo. Two of the red plate vehicles caught in Cebu were personally seen by assistant ombudsman Virginia Palanca Santiago.

Santiago said she caught the two government vehicles in one of the churches in Cebu City. She however refused to divulge who was using it and what agency the vehicle was assigned.

Santiago said they already docketed a fact finding investigation and ordered the agencies concerned to explain.

According to her, members of the media even saw some of the government vehicles in the cemetery. But it was not known whether among the vehicles seen in the cemetery were that of the Cebu City officials who were monitoring the peace and order situation in the different cemeteries in the city.

Acting mayor Michael Rama earlier wrote a letter to the Office of the Ombudsman requesting for an exemption of the city officials from the Oplan Red Plate campaign during the two-day celebration.

Both Apostol and Santiago said the request was unnecessary because if the vehicle is being used in the performance of their official function, there would be nothing to explain.

Apostol said that it is no longer necessary for the city official to secure an exemption if the use of the vehicle is properly covered by a trip ticket.  — Fred P. Languido/WAB (THE FREEMAN)