CITOM soon to be able to confiscate licenses

CEBU, Philippines - City Traffic Operations Management personnel may soon again have the authority to confiscate the licenses of erring drivers.

This after Mayor Tomas Osmeña yesterday instructed CITOM officials to coordinate with Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza so they can be deputized again.

During the press conference in his office yesterday, the mayor called up city planning and development officer Nigel Paul Villarete and personally ordered him to make sure that CITOM’s traffic enforcers will again be deputized by the Land Transportation Office.

Villarete said he had already talked with LTO chief Arturo Lomibao who assured him he will approve the deputization of the CITOM enforcers ahead of the approval of the civilian LTO deputized agents.

Villarete is Osmeña’s representative to the CITOM Board that is regularly holds meeting every Wednesday morning.

The traffic enforcers complained that many of the drivers have already become hard-headed and are no longer afraid to intentionally commit traffic violations because they know that the issuance of the Temporary Operator’s Permits has been suspended as of yet.

A traffic enforcer explained that although they are also armed with traffic citation tickets, the drivers are not afraid of it because their licenses cannot be confiscated by just issuing such a receipt.

Republic Act 4136 or the Transportation and Traffic Code provides that the licenses of erring drivers can be confiscated only upon the issuance of a TOP that will allow the concerned driver to continue to drive his vehicle up to 72 hours from the time of apprehension.

Lomibao who assumed as LTO chief early this year recalled the identification cards and TOP’s issued to all LTO deputized agents nationwide, including those of his own personnel and policemen, because he wants to be the one to sign the cards. – Rene U. Borromeo/BRP   (THE FREEMAN)