Cordi PNP brass told: Explain ‘transfer’ of ‘good’ traffic cop

By Dexter A. See 

BAGUIO CITY – The City Council decided Thursday to invite all involved parties in controversial traffic incident near the city public market that resulted in unceremonious transfer of a “dedicated and devoted traffic enforcer” here to Apayao because he reminded the driver and security escort of a ranking police official they were supposed to strictly adhere to traffic rules and regulations.

The decision to invite regional police director Elmo Francis Sarona, his two deputy regional directors, the involved driver and security aide and SPO3 Alberto Tadeo was reached so the council will know circumstances that resulted in the transfer of Tadeo to Apayao without  due process.

The council deliberated three resolutions on the incident, one authored by Councilor Edgar M. Avila condemning the unceremonious transfer of Tadeo to Apayao and declaring deputy police regional director for administration Senior Supt. Gregorio Lim persona non grata in the city for grave abuse of power and authority.

A second resolution was also made by Councilor Leandro B. Yangot, Jr. inviting all concerned parties to shed light on the said traffic incident.

A third, authored by Vice Mayor Edison R. Bilog, sought reinstatement of Tadeo to  the BCPO while the case was still being investigated by authorities.

The council reminded Lim that his failure to appear before its regular session on Jan. 16, will mean a waiver of his right to air his side on the matter and the local legislative body will be constrained to pursue the passage of the resolution declaring him persona non grata in the city.

The council required Lim to submit a written comment on the proposed resolution declaring him persona non grata that will serve as an added document for the local legislators to assess whether there is merit to his response.

The council’s action to invite all the parties involved in the case is part of the due process and to solicit suggestions and recommendations on how to improve the implementation of the city’s traffic rules and regulations regardless of the outcome of the scheduled meeting.

Tadeo was reportedly reassigned to Apayao because of alleged breach of internal discipline for issuing side comments when he apprehended the driver and security escort of Lim for violation of the city’s number coding scheme.

However, he did not issue the driver the necessary traffic citation ticket in deference to the fact that the driver and the security escort allegedly name-dropped Lim as the owner of the vehicle that violated the number coding scheme.

Some local legislators believe while it is true that Tadeo did not issue the driver of Lim’s vehicle the appropriate traffic citation ticket for violating the city’s number coding scheme, the penalty of transfer to Apayao is obviously grave and unfair to Tadeo as he will be deprived of the chance to face his detractors during hearings on the case due to distance of his assignment which is over 400 kilometers away from the city.