Monday, July 16, 2007 Truckers clear Cordi cops of extortion charge By Jane Cadalig
VEGETABLE truckers recently absolved the Cordillera police from allegations that they are extorting money from vegetable delivery trucks.
Traders and truckers traversing the national roads leading to the lowland markets said policemen in Cordillera are not engaged in illicit activities, such as extortion, as compared to their counterparts in the lowlands.
"We have no complaints against the Cordillera police regarding extortion. This happens in the lowlands, particularly in Pampanga and Tarlac," they said during a recent meeting with Traffic Management Group (TMG) policemen assigned to Cordillera.
The truckers met with officials of the TMG and the Police Regional Office-Cordillera and the Department of Agriculture (DA) on Friday to talk about the DA's plan of monitoring the vegetable outflow in the region.
The TMG was supposed to assist the DA by allowing their checkpoints to be used as drop centers of the forms on the volume of commodities loaded in every vegetable delivery truck.
This plan was, however, revised although the police assured its support to the traders in any undertaking that would need its assistance.
The traders have requested the establishment of police sub-station in areas where highway crimes, particularly hold-ups are usually committed.
This developed as vegetables traders were warned to be cautious when stopping in car wash areas and restaurants to be spared from highway robbery.
Benguet Police Provincial Deputy Director Ernesto Gaab advised truckers and traders to take precautions when dropping by car wash areas and restaurants along national highways, saying unscrupulous groups do not spare main thoroughfares in doing their illegal activities.
He said robbers are after delivery trucks coming from the lowlands as they are expected to carry with them cash from trading their goods.
