For helmet law enforcement LTO-Tagbilaran deputizing “fixers”?

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines — Motorists have complained recently that the Land Transportation Office in this city has utilized previously identified and outlawed “fixers” as among the enforcers of the helmet law.

Instead of getting rid of the identified fixers, the LTO-Tagbilaran welcomed them to the deputation seminar for agents to enforce the helmet law, said some motorists, adding that they have identified those who apprehended them were the ones they knew as “fixers” before at the agency.

LTO-Tagbilaran Registrar Sammy Alabat admitted that his office had utilized applicants for deputation who were still undergoing seminar in actual enforcement operation as practicum.

Alabat explained that anybody is welcome to the deputation seminar for as long as he or she can meet the requirement, which is just a job order for a casual stint in government service. They just have to submit their resumes and endorsement of the heads of the office where they are assigned.

The motorists however wondered why these identified “fixers” were accommodated in the first place, prompting them instead to suspect that LTO officials were in cahoots with fixers the reason why it is hard to rid the office of the illegal practice of fixing.

They said the fixers they used to see in the vicinity of LTO-Tagbilaran were the ones flagging them and even grabbed the keys of their motorcycles. They also questioned why these so-called enforcers had to get their driver’s licenses on the first offense of the helmet law. (FREEMAN)