JOINT PNP-LTFRB TEAM APPREHENDS TARLAC POLICE OFFICERS COLORUM VAN

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This is the message of the joint Philippine National Police – Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (PNP-LTFRB) team when they apprehended a colorum van owned by a police officer at Barangay Salapungan yesterday.

The white Toyota Hi-ace van (ADG 6367) owned by PInsp Jeffrey De Guzman was apprehended in front of the Isdaan Restaurant in Gerona, Tarlac loaded with passengers bound for Tarlac City.

The apprehending team was led by Atty. Jesus Sison, head of the LTFRB Region 3 Anti-colorum Operation and by PInsp Vlad Canapi of the Regional Public Safety Battalion (RPSB) based in Camp Olivas, Pampanga.

In an interview, Sison said, “we are serious in our campaign against colorum. We shall apprehend all colorum vehicles regardless who the owners are. No one is above the law”.

Sison also revealed that the police RPSB contingent was provided by PNP Region 3 Director CSupt Aaron Aquino to assist the LTFRB Regional personnel under a PNP PRO3-LTFRB 3 Memorandum of Agreement.

Sought for comment, Tarlac Police Provincial Director SSupt Ritchie Posadas said, “I don’t tolerate any wrongdoing of any personnel of the TPPO. He will have to pay all the fines. As a police officer (he) should always set (as) example to the community (should not be involved in illegal activities)”.

De Guzman, who lives in Barangay Buenlag here, is the newly assigned Deputy Chief of Police of the nearby Paniqui town.

The operation of the more than 200 colorum vans are being protested by the Tarlac Moncada Gerona Paniqui Transport Service Cooperative (TAMOGEPA) since 2010 and they describe the LTFRB and Land Transportation Office (LTO) action as “moro-moro” (topsy-turvy).

“Simula 2010, nire-reklamo na namin ang mga colorum, dahil sa kawalan ng seryosong aksyon, ngayon mas marami pa sila sa amin na may mga legal na prangkisa. Pa minsan-minsan lang ang paghuli ng mga LTFRB at LTO, moro-moro lang ang ginawa nila kaya patuloy ang pagdami ng mga colorum”, said Bernie Fajardo, chairman of the 112 jipney units TAMOGEPA.

“Kung seryoso sila (LTO and LTFRB) na mahuling lahat ang mga colorum, dapat hayaan nilang manghuli ang mga pulis. Wala pa yatang 15 ang mga lalaking empleyado ng LTFRB at LTO sa Tarlac at sa Region kaya wala silang nagagawa”, also said Fajardo.

Meanwhile, a TAMOGEPA member who requested his name withheld for fear of reprisal revealed that De Guzman has 2 colorum white vans, 2 jipneys and an XLT utility vehicle all operating as colorum daily at the franchise route of TAMOGEPA.

When his white colorum van was apprehended, Du Guzman arrived and tried to intercede for the release of his vehicle. However, Sison refused and impounded the vehicle at the LTO impounding center in Tarlac City along with another colorum van.

De Guzman's colorum van was driven by his neighbor Noel Pallarca who refused to turn over his driver's license and run-away from the apprehending officers.


Source: Central Luzon News Center

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