Gov't forms anti-kotong task force

MANILA, Philippines - Government agencies and transport groups have formed a task force to wage an all-out war against “kotong” or extortion by some traffic and law enforcers, which cuts by half the income of public utility vehicle drivers, officials said yesterday.

Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo said the campaign will be different from previous anti-kotong campaigns since the DILG will adopt measures to ensure the sustainability of the drive, which will be initially implemented in Metro Manila.

“There would be a system of monitoring from the time a complaint is received, to the effort to gather evidence until the filing of charges,” Robredo said during the launching of the intensified campaign against extortion.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Nicanor Bartolome said police officers will go after those giving and taking bribes. “Kotong is a two-way crime where both parties are equally liable as offenders,” he said.

The task force’s creation coincided with the launch of the DILG’s anti-kotong hotline, 0918-8882749, where the public can submit information about extortion activities.

Robredo launched the campaign along with Transportation and Communication Secretary Manuel Roxas II, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chair Francis Tolentino and Bartolome. Leaders of various transport groups, present at the event, lauded the effort of the government.

Robredo said task force personnel, not police officers, will receive the complaints so the public will feel comfortable when filing charges. “First, this will be above the PNP... Second, there will be regular reporting done publicly and third, the DILG will report the action taken after two months,” he said.

The DILG chief said the action will depend on the gravity of the complaint.

In his speech during the launch, Robredo said his eldest daughter was nearly victimized by a corrupt traffic enforcer when she unintentionally violated a traffic rule recently.

He said his daughter admitted her violation and asked the enforcer to issue her a traffic violation ticket. According to his daughter, Robredo said the enforcer proceeded to give her a lecture, apparently encouraging her to give grease money, but she insisted on a ticket.

“When my daughter gave her driver’s license, the enforcer saw her surname as Robredo. She was asked if she was from Bicol and she said yes. The enforcer then asked how she is related to the DILG secretary. My daughter answered, ‘He’s my father.’ The enforcer let her go and told her to be more careful next time,” Robredo said.

The DILG secretary said traffic rules should be applied to all regardless of status in life and connections.

Robredo said there is no data on how much money PUV drivers lose to corrupt enforcers each day. In 2007, the group Kontra Kotong and Kolorum reported that rampant extortion by enforcers and the operation of unregistered PUVs cost each legitimate taxi and jeepney driver P7,000 a month.