9 LTO ‘kotong’ enforcers nabbed in Agusan del Norte

“Kotong” enforcers nabbed in Buenavista, Agusan del Norte. LTO PHOTO

SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur – Allegations of repeat “kotong” activities by Land Transportation Office (LTO) field enforcement units have resurfaced after nine personnel of the LTO Caraga Regional Law Enforcement Section were arrested in an entrapment operation in Buenavista, Agusan del Norte—following a similar incident reported in Trento, Agusan del Sur last year.

The latest arrests come after a similar complaint in November last year, when an LTO law enforcement team leader assigned in Trento, Agusan del Sur was accused of allegedly extorting grease money from a truck driver, prompting the issuance of a show cause order from LTO leadership.

READ: 2 LTO employees in Pampanga dismissed over anomalous license issuance

The Police Regional Office 13 (PRO13) confirmed the arrests in Buenavista, which took place at around 6 a.m. on June 18, , at Purok 5, Barangay Alubijid, Buenavista. The operation targeted alleged extortion activities involving truck and delivery drivers along the national highway.

PRO13 said the operation was based on validated intelligence information and was conducted through close coordination between the LTO Task Force Central Office and various police intelligence and mobile units, and the Buenavista Municipal Police Station.

Authorities reported that the suspects were caught in the act during the entrapment, with operatives recovering marked money, assorted cash, communication devices, traffic apprehension forms, and other pieces of evidence allegedly tied to the extortion scheme.

One of the arrested personnel is also facing additional charges for violation of Republic Act No. 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, after allegedly failing to present a Permit to Carry Firearm Outside of Residence (PTCFOR) for his gun.

The suspects are currently under police custody as criminal complaints for alleged graft and corruption, direct bribery, and robbery extortion are being prepared for filing before the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor.

Assistant Secretary Markus V. Lacanilao, LTO chief, who ordered the entrapment operation, said the agency maintains a strict no-tolerance policy against corruption.

“There is no room for corruption in the LTO. Anyone who violates the law and betrays public trust will be held accountable administratively and criminally,” Lacanilao said.

He ordered the immediate filing of administrative cases alongside criminal complaints and assured full coordination with law enforcement agencies to ensure due process.

PRO13 emphasized that the operation reflects sustained efforts to address corruption and abuse of authority in public service institutions.

The back-to-back incidents have renewed concerns over recurring allegations of extortion involving some field enforcement personnel in the region, despite previous warnings and internal investigations. /jpv