Berroya to go after ‘kotong’ cops

President Arroyo designated yesterday retired police general Reynaldo Berroya to head a task force that will go after extorting policemen and traffic enforcers victimizing motorists.

Berroya thus takes on a task that was a pet project of his nemesis, Sen. Panfilo Lacson, when the latter was chief of the Philippine National Police in the previous administration.

"General Berroya is the right man for the job, being a former police officer," Mrs. Arroyo announced during her "Pulong Bayan" dialogue with members of the Bulacan Alliance of Transport Associations (Batas) and other transport groups in Malolos, Bulacan.

The President said Berroya will be primarily tasked to act on complaints against mulcting police officers and traffic enforcers.

Berroya was appointed undersecretary for special concerns at the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) after his retirement from the police force last month.

During the forum with the President, one of the leaders of the transport groups complained about mulcting or "kotong" by traffic policemen.

The President called the attention of Berroya, who was at the forum as an official of the DOTC.

"Ay, nandito ang ating bagong assistant secretary ng DOTC, si Rey Berroya," the President said.

"Ikaw na siguro Rey ang mamahala sa enforcement against kotong cops dahil si Rey ay pulis. So kaya niyang mag-organize ng special task force against kotong, ha Rey? Ayon (That’s it)," Mrs. Arroyo told him.

The appointment of Berroya to go after "kotong" cops was seen as a political move apparently to take up where independent presidential candidate Sen. Panfilo Lacson left off.

Lacson, a former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, made a name for himself in personally leading a drive in the streets rounding up erring police officers.

His method became popular with the motorists until after he resigned from the PNP when his mentor, former President Joseph Estrada, was ousted from office by a military-backed popular revolt in January 2001

Berroya and Lacson have been bitter enemies after they parted ways during their stint together in the defunct Presidential Anti-Crime Commission (PACC) under then Vice President Estrada.

Berroya was sent to prison after being convicted for kidnap-for-ransom. He was subsequently released after the Supreme Court reversed his conviction.

Berroya was reinstated to active duty after President Arroyo took over from Estrada.

During the forum, Berroya, a member of Philippine Military Academy Class ’69, vowed to put an end to the problem of extortion. "I will work hard to make sure we could bring an end to this nagging problem," he said.

Jeepney drivers also aired their other concerns before Mrs. Arroyo, particularly against "colorum" transport operators, the continued lack of action on fare hike petitions and non-issuance of fare guidelines by the regional office of the Land Transportation Office (LTO), the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and the supposed lack of public consultations on certain issues concerning the transport sector.

Mrs. Arroyo responded by directing LTFRB officials in Central Luzon to look into the complaints about the lack of public consultations.

"Don’t just wait for them. You set the initiative to have a meeting with these people with an agenda in hand then coordinate your efforts (with) the head office in Manila," Mrs. Arroyo told the LTFRB officials in Filipino.

She ordered the LTFRB to set the meeting on Tuesday next week.

"So on Tuesday, you hold the meeting, there must be (an) LTFRB representative who has the authority to speak and you must consult with someone with authority to speak," the President said.

Mrs. Arroyo impressed on the public transport groups that her administration feels indebted to them for not raising their fares during her three-year term of office amid the increasing costs of diesel fuel and gasoline. - With James Mananghaya