Towing firm hired by city under fire

CEBU - The city attorney’s office has opened an investigation into allegations that some personnel of the private towing firm hired by the city are allegedly impounding illegally-parked motorcycles despite the presence of the owners, said City Traffic Operations Management chief Arnel Tancinco.

“Kon naa ra gani ang driver dili na kinahanglang guroyon pa ang mga sakyanan nga nasakpang nag-illegal park. Mao na nga tungod sa mga reklamo nga among nadawat, giimbistigar kini karon,” Tancinco said.

Tancinco said he favors the plan of the city to stop hiring the services of a private towing company and instead buy a towing vehicle so that the towing fees would go directly to the city’s coffers.

Vice Mayor Michael Rama had supported the call to review the provisions of the existing memorandum of agreement between the city and the private towing company because the same is reportedly disadvantageous to the city.

But Connie Cañedo of Road Warriors Towing Services explained that if the owners of illegally parked motorcycles or other vehicles arrive only after the citation ticket has been issued, the vehicle is reportedly as good as being impounded.

CITOM has apprehended 15,049 motorcycles for the past 18 months from November 2007 to July 2008. Of this number, 5,359 motorcycles were reportedly towed by Road Warriors Towing Services, which could have earned the firm close to P8 million.

However, Cañedo said not all of the motorcycles impounded by the City Traffic Operations Management have paid the corresponding towing fees because others simply pay the fee for parking illegally.

An average of 595 motorcycles a month or 22 to 23 units a day are caught parking illegally in Cebu City. – Rene U. Borromeo/JMO (THE FREEMAN)