Traffic aide gets death threats
ROXAS CITY – A traffic aide here has received a death threat from unknown persons last Monday.
Traffic aide Reynaldo Francisco, 32, of Brgy. Tambak, this city told The News Today (TNT) that his colleague Elmer Bermejo received a white envelop containing a letter specifically mentioning his name and a live ammunition of .38 caliber revolver.
“Maghalong halong kamo mga traffic aide mag pangdakop, wala guid kamo kalooy, ilabi na guid ikaw Francisco ang bala nga ini ang maga patay sa imo” (Be careful traffic aides, you have no consideration in apprehending us, particularly you Francisco, this bullet will kill you.) reads the letter.
Francisco suspects that the threat may have come from those operating colorum tricycles which they have been busy apprehending the past few days.
He said that he remembered apprehending a tricycle loaded with three passengers last Sunday while on duty at San Roque Street.
According to him, the said tricycle was plying out of its route since its franchise was only for Pontevedra town.
Earlier, the city government vowed to eradicate colorum tricycle by increasing penalties from P250 to P5,000.
Rey Cordenillo, city administrator, told The News Today (TNT) that City Mayor Vicente Bermejo administration will impose a higher fine to the “colorum” or unregistered tricycles.
He said that the first offense will be fined in the amount of P1,500, 2nd offense, P3,000 and the 3rd offense is P5,000 adding that the city ordinance is subject for amendments.
Bermejo said “colorum” tricycles in the city should be eradicated as he wanted to protect those franchise holders of the tricycles who are paying taxes and other permits in the city.
It was learned that several Tricycle Operators and Driver Associations (TODAs) filed petitions asking the city government to curb the proliferation of “colorum” tricycles.
Cordenillo said that the proposed amendments to the city ordinance will be elevated to the Sanguniang Panglungsod through the committee on public utility.
According to the city administrator, with the steel plates issued by the city the “colorum” tricycles could be easily identified.
He added that the city is continuously conducting seminars to the drivers and operators to teach them courtesy to their passengers.