FOUR enforcers of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) were relieved of their post after they went viral in social media for alleged extortion in Bulacan.
LTO chief Asst. Secretary Jose Arturo “Jay Art” Tugade, in a statement, said he already ordered the relief of the four pending the investigation of the case.
“I have repeatedly said that I will not condone corruption at LTO both at the LTO offices and on the field. The campaign against corruption is one of the earliest initiatives I undertook upon assumption into office. There will be zero tolerance on corruption,” he said.An investigation showed a team of law enforcement officers from the LTO’s Field Enforcement Division (FED) were caught on video while allegedly trying to extort P8,000 from a motorist who was flagged down at a checkpoint in Bocaue, Bulacan.
Tugade vowed to get into the bottom of the incident involving his field officers.
Once their wrongdoing is proven, the LTO chief said the erring enforcers will immediately be stripped of their duties as they face administrative charges.
The LTO chief said criminal charges will also be recommended to be filed against the accused LTO enforcers.
Tugade said the fight against corruption will be relentless as they continue to weed out of personnel engaged in fixing activities and other illegal means right inside the very offices of the agency.
He likewise thanked the concerned netizen for reporting the incident via social media.
Had it not been for the vigilance of said netizens, these enforcers according to Tugade would have probably gotten scot-free and their illegalities would have continued.
“I hope that those who want to get involved or are already involved in illegal activities to better think about it first because now, not only the LTO but also the netizens are watching them,” he warned.
