ILOILO City – The city council passed a resolution authorizing Mayor Jerry Treñas to file an administrative complaint, on behalf of the city government, against Director 1 Arturo Apolinar of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Region 6.
Apolinar, assistant to the regional director of the LTO-6, was earlier preventively suspended from his post following his refusal to acknowledge an alleged traffic violation.
“They were supposed to help us in enforcing traffic laws. Sila gid ‘na gapanakop ‘di, ang aton mga traffic enforcers nagaobra man lang sang ila man nga obra,” said Duron.
According to Duron, it depends on the city mayor where he will file the case, either before the Ombudsman or the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
Transportation secretary Arthur Tugade had confirmed the preventive suspension of Apolinar to give way to LTO’s investigation.
“As far as I can gather, meron po siyang violations. I called that political arrogance. Wala ho sa ating kagawaran at ahensya ‘yung tinatawag na arrogance of power kaya ko nga isinatabi siya,” Tugade said in a press conference during his visit here on Monday. He clarified that the preventive suspension is not a punishment but a process.
“Hindi pa naman kita tinanggal – kon ano man ang ihahataw na parusa dyan, kasama ‘yung pagtanggal, paparatingin ho naming sa kinauukolan,” he added.
Treñas brought to the attention of Tugade about Apolinar whom traffic auxiliaries claimed beat the red light on El 98 Street in Jaro district.
Though Apolinar has reportedly apologized to Treñas, the latter reacted that what “has been done is done.”/PN