CONCERNS of extortion and highway robbery, in its literal form, are hammering the trading of vegetables anew.

Members of the Benguet Traders and Truckers Association Inc. (BTTA) are again appealing to the leadership of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to help stop the problems encountered by vegetable traders.

They complained that mulcting activities have recurred along the highways.

Panagbenga 2009 blog

Specifically, the group complained of the extortion by personnel of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Tarlac, Pampanga and the collection of truck ban penalties by PNP officers and members of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) along the Osmeña Highway in Metro Manila.

BTTA president Benito Hipolito, in a letter, asked PNP Chief Jesus Versoza to intervene and solve the extortion problem along Pampanga province.

"Although this does not concern your office directly, we seek your intervention that this issue may be endorsed to the LTO," Hipolito begged.

He narrated that PNP and MMDA personnel collect fees ranging from P50 to P100 to represent penalties for the truck ban. "This should not be done because vegetable delivery trucks are exempt from it, as provided in the Food Lane Program of the Department of Agriculture."

Hipolito said most of the PNP personnel who are collecting truck ban fees are newly-hired as reflected in their rank badges.

"It is observed most of the policemen flagging down the vegetable trucks are greenhorns. It is our ardent request they be properly informed of the food lane program to avoid (these) problems," he added.

Aside from the extortion activities, Hipolito complained of the robbery incurred by his members to thieves along the streets of Tondo, Manila.

Truckers said thieves go up their trucks during traffic jams and cart away the vehicles' toolboxes.

The group tags the robbery problem as "baklas tool box," which is usually committed along the stretch of R-10 leading towards the Del Pan Bridge in Tondo.