Disgusted and dissatisfied on how the Traffic Management Group (TMG) answered Wednesday the queries in the committee hearing involving the impounding of a private car owned by second district board member Romulo Cepedoza, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan said it will convene again next week to continue the investigation. SP Presiding Officer Vice Governor Concepcion O. Lim, asked each and every board member to conduct their own information gathering of similar incidents involving the TMG, noting the notoriety of these cops known in the road as the highway patrol. Lim, in a brief recess during last Friday's regular session, confided how she personally is interested to dig deeper into the highway patrol operations recalling an incident wherein a motor vehicle owner was allegedly told to produce P80,000 for the release of an impounded car. Most SP members want to file appropriate cases against these TMG officers but Vice Gov Lim cautioned to conduct first a thorough investigation to verify reports about activities of these highway police officers.

THE INCIDENT

In the latest incident last October 27, board member Cepedoza whose car was stopped along CPG avenue near a gasoline station, also alleged that a certain PO2 Rey Peralta approach him saying: “ato lang ning areglohon sir” (let's just settle this), which to the board member means “money” settlement. His car was impounded for allegedly having a different color, from black in the original receipt (OR) and dark blue in the certificate of registration (CR). This was, however, strongly denied by Peralta who was present during the Wednesday committee hearing conducted by the SP, acting as a committee of the whole. The TMG officers who were present include the team leader PInsp Joselito Lerion, P01 Exequiel Suico and PO2 Peralta. Cepedoza said the TMG is now portraying him as a liar when they denied the settlement offer that they suggested to him. “These TMG officers indeed proposed the “settlement fee” and I am reiterating this since, by denying, they are making it appear that I am a liar,” Cepedoza said. The board member had already paid his citation ticket at the Land Transportation Office-Tagbilaran but the TMG still refused to release the car now impounded inside the Camp Dagohoy police headquarters under the harsh element of heat and rain.

LYING?

Senior Board Member Dionisio Balite told his colleagues during the Friday session that these highway patrol officers “could be lying”. Balite recalled that TMG officer Lerion told the committee during the Wednesday (Nov. 10) hearing that “they are still verifying” from the car dealer, which is Isuzu Mandaue/ Cebu for the certification of Cepedoza's Isuzu SUV car. The TMG head said they already have gone to Cebu and are just waiting for the documents. The board member went to Cebu the following day, (Thursday, Nov. 11) and found out that it was only in the morning of that day that the TMG requested for a certification from Izusu Mandaue-Cebu. Balite was able to secure a copy of the certification signed by Isuzu Mandaue sales manager Ritchie Descallar, issued to and received by TMG PO1 Virgilio Suico, dated Nov. 11, 2010. “These TMG officers were lying to us, and they could be lying also somewhere in some or many of the details they told us during the committee hearing,” Balite said.

The board member from the third district also revealed that if other resource persons from the public could be allowed to provide the SP information on how these TMG officers attempt to extort money from motorists, there is one that can share such information and the incident is recorded on video. A source (not Balite) said the extort attempt “recorded on video” allegedly happened in Jagna, near a café-restaurant. The victim who is ready to testify, (driver of a rent-a-car company), and the video can be produced if needed by the SP. The incident caught on “video” allegedly involved the same TMG officers, Lerion Peralta and Suico. (EdCom/VGO-SP)