NEWS: Uy warns: “Magkahiyaan gyud ta” if alleged kotong cops will be back in highways

nov 6

Tagum City Mayor Rey Chiong has warned anew to unnamed officials and personnel of Highway Patrol Group whom he had earlier declared as persona non grata never again to make checkpoint even as the latter’s presence has already vanished from the city’s highways since Monday, said an ABS-CBN TV Patrol Mindanao report yesterday afternoon.

“Magkahiyaan gyud ta,” he said if the censured group would be seen again manning the city’s highways.

In the same report, police inspector Raul Marante, HPG head, said that they were really surprised of the mayor’s letter that put the group in persona non grata status for alleged kotong (extortion) activities.

A DXDN Radyo Ukay report also yesterday said that the group strongly denied the mayor’s accusation that they have been engaging in kotong activities, quoting the provincial police director PSSupt. Benilito Bianzon.

A Periodico Norte report also said yesterday that Bianzon had immediately conducted an investigation when he received the mayor’s letter and directed the members of the group to follow the mayor’s demand for them to immediately pull out from the city’s highways.

Bianzon likewise warned police personnel deputized by the Land Transportation Office not to engage in extortion or face dismissal from service.

On Monday, Uy called on cargo truck drivers and operators not to stop in case HPG personnel would try to flag them down.

The mayor sent his letter dated October 29, 2008 addressed to P/S Supt. Ernesto Tesoro Jr, regional chief of the Highway Patrol Group XI based in Davao City, after receiving a number of complaints coming from the drivers and operators of cargo trucks with the information that the Tagum group has been allegedly soliciting toll fees before one can be allowed to pass the national highway of the city.

In the letter, Uy declared persona non grata to the said group and demanded for their immediate pull out from the city’s highways. (Cha Monforte/Rural Urban News) http://ruralurbanews.blogspot.com