LTO officials, agents in North Cotabato charged with extortion
COTABATO CITY, Philippines—North Cotabato Governor Emmylou Mendoza said Friday she has filed criminal charges on behalf of the provincial government against two regional officials of the Land Transportation Office and at least 11 agents for usurpation of authority and extorting money from motorists.
“Since time immemorial, this has been going on and we want to put an end to these malpractices,” Mendoza told reporters here a day after she filed the charges against LTO Central Mindanao Director Arlan Mangelen, district officer Andy Batocapal and the 11 LTO agents at the provincial prosecutor’s office in Kidapawan City.
She said she had been receiving complaints from motorists about the activities of the LTO agents, who would allegedly flag them down on the North Cotabato highway and charge them P2,000 to P6,000 pesos for trumped up infractions..
Invariably, the victims would agree to pay lesser amounts in exchange for not being apprehended, she said.
Mendoza said on Thursday, she finally chanced upon the LTO men in action in Barangay Kilada in Matalam, North Cotabato, as she was heading for her office in Kidapawan.
She said she immediately ordered the police to round them up and check their documents, including their authority to enforce traffic laws.
Mendoza said that Badrudin Ali, who claimed to be the team leader, argued that their “law enforcement work” was spelled out in a memorandum order from the Central Mindanao LTO office.
The order, issued by LTO Central Mindanao director Arlan Mangelen was meant “to enforce special laws,” she quoted Ali as saying.
Mendoza said that upon scrutiny of the memorandum order, Ali’s team was not covered by it. “Therefore, he had no legal authority to assist or lead the group for that matter,” she said.
She said under the civil service law, “contractual and job orders, to include deputized agents are not allowed to enforce special laws without the presence of a regular or permanent organic personnel of the implementing government office,” hence the usurpation of authority charge.
Mendoza said Andy Batocapal, acting LTO district officer stationed in Kabacan, was also included in the charges he authorized the deployment of Ali’s team.
Mendoza said Ali, Yusoph Mamaluba, Ferdan Reformado, Eddie Wagia, Ting Mastura, Roy Pedtamanan, William Ismael, Abdullah Paunte, Alamada Israel, Sapalon Mulod and Jordan Jainal, were also made to undergo drug tests and were being held by police at the provincial capitol.
She said that except for Mangelen and Batocapal, those charged had undergone inquest proceeding at the prosecutor’s office.
