“I AM just doing my job.”
This was stressed by Councilor Al Victor Espino, chairperson of the City Council committee on traffic, after he alleged receiving threat “not to touch” Major Junji Liba, who is the head of Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO).
Stressing that he wanted to address the traffic problem in Bacolod City, Espino earlier made Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez to designate a new head at BTAO in lieu of Liba.
BTAO was created through City Ordinance 230 Series of 1999, which for Espino should be headed by a civilian in nature which means that non-uniformed personnel should be assigned there.
“Someone called me not to remove Liba at BTAO or else something will happen to me, but it can’t affect my work. I will do what is good for the city, we should solve the traffic congestion in Bacolod,” he said.
He added that he already talked with Benitez (regarding the revamp at BTAO) and the latter understood the situation.
In July 2022, Police Major Junji Liba was assigned as the new head of BTAO.
“We cannot designate him (as administrative officer) because we don’t have jurisdiction over the Philippine National Office,” Espino said.
He said that he will release the name of the new BTAO head soon.
Liba, in a radio interview, denied anything to the person threatening Espino.