Provincial task force soon to be LTO deputized agents

CEBU, Philippines - Aside from confiscating blasted fishes, the Cebu Provincial Anti-Illegal Fishing Task Force will soon run after traffic violators after the Land Transportation Office-7 held a seminar for them at the Capitol last Thursday to train them in becoming deputized agents.

“Pinaagi ani makatabang na ta sa pag-implement sa road safety,” task force field coordinator Jeofrey Merencillo told The FREEMAN.

Merencillo said Provincial Treasurer Roy Salubre will endorse to the LTO main office their papers and LTO identification cards on Monday for them to become LTO deputized agents.

Once deputized, Merencillo said they can already apprehend traffic violators and issue them a Temporary Operator’s Permit. They can also confiscate their driver’s license if needed.

“Maka-correct na ta sa mga violations sa mga drivers. Pirmiro i-remind nato sila but kung naa’y arogante, aw dakpon,” he said.

The task force official said being deputized agents of the LTO will be an advantage to their jobs.

“Kay inig para gud nato sa mga trucks, mangayo man ta sa driver’s license, which is dili unta angayan kay LTO deputized agents ra’y makapangayo ana. If deputized na mi, naa na mi katungod,” he said.

He said they can now also take charge of trucks overloaded with passengers.

“Naay daghang trucks na sobra ka-puno sa mga tawo nya di ta kabadlong. Karon, makabadlong na gyud ta,” he said.

30 people from the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office, Office of the Provincial Agriculture, Provincial Treasurer’s Office, Bureau of Food and Drugs, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, 78th Infantry Battalion, Maritime Office, and the Provincial Legal Office will soon be deputized.

Meanwhile, the task force again seized four boxes of blasted fish along Compostela highway yesterday.

Two out of the 23 boxes found in the truck with plate numbers GWM-233 were found by the BFAR to have contained blasted yellow fusilier locally known as lagan. The truck, which came from Bantayan Island, was driven by Emilson Codilla.

Another two out of the 36 boxes being transported by another truck bearing plate numbers GXD-240 were found out to contain blasted sardines, locally known as tuloy.

The driver of the truck was Resty De Guzman. He was driving from Medellin.

Both drivers were spared while the blasted fish were distributed to some institutions in Compostela, Merencillo said.

Merencillo, who just announced that they will start filing charges against buses that transport blasted fish, said they will now include the owners of the truck that will carry the same. (FREEMAN)