26 agents of LTO sacked for extortion on highway

COTABATO CITY—At least 26 agents of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Central Mindanao have been dismissed this month amid complaints of extortion from motorists.

Arlan Mangelen, LTO regional director, said of the 26 dismissed agents, 11 were from North Cotabato, 13 from the Socsargen area and two from this city.

Mangelen said the dismissal of agents from North Cotabato prompted the provincial prosecutor’s office to eventually dismiss the “usurpation case” filed against them last month by Gov. Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza.

LTO agents in North Cotabato were rounded up by police on orders of Mendoza who questioned the agents’ authority to enforce so-called “special laws” issued by the LTO along the Matalam Highway.

Mangelen said motorists complained that LTO agents collected fines ranging from P2,000 to P6,000 over violations that were questionable.

It appeared that the enforcement of the special laws was just a modus operandi that also caused heavy traffic on the highway, said Mangelen. Charlie C. Señase, Inquirer Mindanao