Fired enforcers threaten raps vs. CITOM officers

CEBU, Philippines - The 31 City Traffic Operations and Management personnel terminated last week for alleged extortion threatened to file a case against CITOM executive officer Arnel Tancinco and Cebu City Police Office Traffic Patrol Group Head Chief Insp. Andres Bayarcal for illegal dismissal.

Rosie Caburnay, who is among the 31 enforcers terminated, said that their dismissal was unjust because there was no investigation conducted while the management failed to get their side.

She said she has been a traffic enforcer for 21 years.

Caburnay said she is not aware of any complaint against her. She added that she has no record of any misconduct nor was there any complaint filed against her that should have been recorded at the legal division of CITOM.

She wants the case to be brought before the Ombudsman Visayas for investigation.

Tancinco welcomed the threat.

“Well they can do that, option man sad na nila. But first of all, unsa man na kaso?” he said.

“So far, dili man ’to technically termination kung tan-awn nimo ang order. It’s just that the city no longer needs their services,” Tancinco said relaying the explanation of Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña on the matter.

“Mao nay gi-explain ni Mayor Tommy. Kung ingun ana nga wala na ta’y confidence sa ilang trabaho then we no longer need their services,” Tancinco added.

It was Osmeña who terminated the 31 erring enforcers for failure to prove their innocence.

“My policy has always been like this, if I hired you, you better prove your innocence. Under normal circumstances, you are innocent until proven guilty, not if I hire you. I don’t have the time to go around to investigate. So if you cannot prove your innocence, sorry, but you’re fired,” Osmeña earlier said.

Tancinco clarified that the allegations against the 31 fired enforcers were not completely verified and their termination does not mean they are the most corrupt enforcers in CITOM.

“Whether tinood or dili the mayor decided na dili na lang sila. Dili man sad ingnon nga kamo nay pinaka kotongero. Naa may daghan diha. Hinumduman nato, dili man ni sila verified but that was an effort to clean up our operations,” Tancinco said.

Meanwhile, CITOM personnel Rosario Torres accused traffic investigator SPO3 Apollo Machacon for harassment for allegedly pointing to her as the one who recommended the termination of the 31 enforcers.

Torres complained that due to the accusation, she is now receiving death threats through texts.

Tancinco defended Torres and explained that the information about the illegal activities of erring enforcers did not come from her but that she was only tasked to write their names. — Jessica Ann R. Pareja (FREEMAN NEWS)