TMG welcomes suspension of LTO deputation

The Traffic Management Group has welcomed the Land Transportation Office’s decision to suspend the  authorization of TMG personnel to flag down and accost motorists violating LTO rules and regulations.

TMG director Chief Superintendent Errol Pan said the move will also give the TMG the opportunity to review and evaluate the performance of all its members detailed nationwide.

“We welcome and support the action of the LTO…We believe that the objective of the suspension of the orders was to review the policies and guidelines on the issuances of orders and eliminate those who abuse deputation,” Pan said.

The suspension of the deputation stemmed from numerous complaints from motorists that some TMG enforcers used their LTO deputation to extort money from motorists who violated LTO rules and regulations.

The TMG, which is under the Philippine National Police (PNP), recorded a total of 42,104 motorists arrested for violating Republic Act 4136, otherwise known as the Land Transportation Code of the Philippines. Among the provisions often violated are those on fake LTO stickers, fake license plates, unauthorized plates, tampered plates, as well as the seat belt law.

Pan also noted that the TMG will now concentrate on  dealing with carjacking, highway robbery, estafa involving motor vehicles as well as other crimes in which motor vehicles are used.

He noted that the TMG and the LTO are presently engaged in high-level coordination regarding the conduct of a comprehensive review on the policies and guidelines on the deputation of LTO traffic enforcers.

Pan said the LTO will entertain only applicants for deputation among those who were thoroughly screened and subsequently recommended by regional police directors and the TMG chief.

He also noted that the LTO will not entertain walk-in applicants and that respective operations officers of police regional directors and the TMG will evaluate the performance of the deputized officers on a monthly basis.

“The TMG does not tolerate any corrupt practices of their enforcers and in fact, we encourage the public to report abuses and irregularities of TMG personnel to PNP TXT 2920 and the TMG Tactical Operations Center TXT 09063745375,” Pan said.