6 LTO agents to face suits

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Treasurer Ofelia Oliva and her daughter are bent on pressing charges against six deputized agents of the Land Transportation Office (LTO)-7 who allegedly “harassed and threatened them” last Friday.

She later learned that the men, led by a certain Stephen Ybañez, are members of the Task Force Alpha.

Ybañez was reportedly signaling to her defective headlights to which Olvido said she asked the agent to tap on the lights as they were reportedly loose.

“Palihug ko’g pukpok sa headlights sir kay luag ra na siya. Bag-o pa man gud ‘na gipaayo. (Kindly tap on the lights, sir, because they are loose. They have just been fixed),” Olvido quoted herself as saying.

Ybañez, however, allegedly retorted, “Imo kong gisugo? (Are you giving me orders)?” and demanded for Olvido’s driver’s license. Olvido refused and reportedly closed the window of her car.

Still demanding for the license, Ybañez allegedly knocked on the car window hard and called on his companions. At this point, a female member of the group also joined in knocking on the car window hard while demanding for her license, Olvido said.

The incident caused a traffic jam in the area.

Olvido said she was embarrassed because passersby were starting to notice the commotion. Fearing for her security, she then called her mother, Oliva, for help.

She said no LTO officer was present at that time and that Task Force Alpha members were only wearing shirts with the “LTO” letters printed on the back.

“Wa niya gihatag iyang license kay gi-instruct daw siya sa iyang mommy na dili basta-basta muhatag sa driver’s license kay daghang binuang karon. (She did not hand over her license because her mother instructed her not to, considering many unscrupulous activities these days),” said IDMB head Chief Insp. Bonifacio Garciano.

Oliva arrived later with Olvido’s husband. The latter took pictures of the situation, which reportedly irked Ybañez who allegedly challenged him to a fistfight? “Unsa man, sumbagay ta? (What now, would you want a fistfight)?”

Oliva reportedly managed to stop Ybañez from almost hitting her son-in-law who reportedly ran back into the car.

“Oliva then received demeaning words from the female enforcer and Ybañez in a loud and embarrassing manner which causes fear, annoyance and anxiety in (sic) the part of both victims,” reads the IDMB report.

Garciano said personnel of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team subsequently arrived in the area and settled the argument between the two parties. In the end, the Task Force Alpha members failed to get Olvido’s driver’s license.

Garciano said Oliva was discontented at how the issue was resolved and is determined to file charges against the task force members.

“Mga isog kuno kaayo ug mga hambugero. Gusto daw niya patilawon og tagam (The task force members were too arrogant. She wants to teach them a lesson),” Garciano said.

Garciano said they have confirmed through the pictures taken by Olvido’s husband that the agents are members of Task Force Alpha. Oliva herself was able to take note of Ybañez’ name through his identification card.

LTO Patrol officer Bimboy Arnaiz, the task force supervisor, said Olvido was reportedly headstrong since the very beginning.

“Gi-advise-an na sad baya na sila na mo-coopertae if naay inspection but isog man kaayo siya, daghang arte. Gipasanginlan pa mi nga nangwarta pa mi. Naa man gud gisaligan. (They have been advised to cooperate in inspections, but she did not and was very fussy. She even accused us of extortion. She obviously has the connections),” Arnaiz said.

Apart from the defective headlight, Olvido also had allegedly no current sticker on the plate number.

Arnaiz said they are ready to face possible charges. Oliva and her daughter reportedly plan to file the complaint before the National Bureau of Investigation.

Should they do so with the help of IDMB, Garciano said they will call the subject task force members tomorrow to answer the allegations.

Task Force Alpha agents are deputized by LTO to assist LTO enforcers “in the efficient and effective enforcement of traffic laws, rules and regulations particularly in the Metro Cebu area.”

Despite this, several passenger jeepneys are seen plying their routes in Metro Cebu with their lights off especially at night, but no arrest by the task force has been reported, so far./JMO (FREEMAN)