The two police officers caught driving colorum vehicles during an operation conducted by the Inter-Agency Council for Traffic recently in southern Metro Manila, were ordered relieved.
In response to the report from I-ACT chief Thomas Orbos, National Police director Oscar Albayalde ordered the immediate relief of Chief Insp. Juan Saldua Cipriano Jr. of the Southern Police District, and SPO4 Ronnie Arimbuyutan Druja of the Police – Aviation Security Group.
Orbos said his men from I-ACT Task Force Kamao caught Cipriano and Druja driving unmarked vehicles disguised as passenger vans during simultaneous operations in cities of Pasay and Parañaque on April 26.
He added that apart from driving colorum vehicles, the vans were also marked with stickers from the Office of the President.
“The apprehension of police officers who were moonlighting as drivers of colorum vans is truly unfortunate. They are supposed to be our partners in the anti-colorum effort, but they are the ones violating it,” Orbos said.
The vehicles of the police officers have also been impounded by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.
Both Cipriano and Druja are confirmed to be in active police service. They are now in floating status at the Personnel Holding and Accounting Uni and will be placed under investigation by the Counter Intelligence Task Force of the PNP.
Albayalde expressed his gratitude to the I-ACT team and to the Department of Transportation for not tolerating the misdeeds of his men.
“I express my gratitude to the DOTr and rest assured that they have the full support and cooperation of the Philippine National Police on their anti- colorum efforts,” said Albayalde.
The I-ACT Task Force Kamao apprehended more than 90 erring drivers, including Cipriano and Druja, during that operations against colorum and dilapidated public utility vehicles. Two of those apprehended were heavily tinted Toyota Grandia both driven by the two policemen.
Investigation showed that the Toyota Grandia vans were being used like UV Express picking up commuters.
Orbos said the number of violators caught is the highest number recorded in a single day of operations.
Most of those apprehended were public utility jeepneys, buses, Asian utility vehicles, UV express and tricycles.
Orbos, also a concurrent DOTr undersecretary for roads and infrastructure, warned the public to stop utilizing their vehicles for public use.
“To those who are planning or using private vehicles for public use, whether you are a civilian or a law enforcement personnel, we urge you to stop that activity because IACT will have no let-up in its campaign versus colorum vehicles,” Orbos said.
He also reminded motorists to check the roadworthiness and legitimacy of their vehicles’ franchises to avoid being caught by the authorities.
“We are reminding our motorists to make sure that their vehicles are safe to ride on and in the case of public utility vehicles, bearing LTFRB-required markings and case numbers with appropriate legal franchises,” he said.
Orbos vowed the campaign against dilapidated public conveyances will continue until erring drivers and operators assured the government that their vehicles are roadworthy and safe for public transport.
I-ACT is composed of personnel from the Metro Manila Development Authority, and Department of Transportation, local government units and members of the Philippine National Police launched the “Tanggal Bulok, Tanggal Usok” campaign on Jan. 8 to get rid of unroadworthy public utility vehicles plying major thoroughfares nationwide.