The Mandaue City Traffic Enforcement Agency (Team) mandated a five-day refresher course for its entire roster of over 200 field personnel to address public grievances regarding corruption and improper conduct.
Team head Hyll Retuya stated the training covered proper apprehension procedures and ethical boundaries, while the city administration warned that personnel caught engaging in extortion will face immediate termination from service.
The agency is actively investigating complaints received through the 8888 hotline and direct submissions, resulting in the previous dismissal of several erring traffic enforcers following investigations backed by citizen evidence.
MANDAUE City Traffic Enforcement Agency (Team) required its entire roster of traffic personnel to undergo a five-day refresher course to address motorist complaints and corruption allegations.
The program aims to eradicate extortion and improve public interaction on the road.
Team head Hyll Retuya said the retraining program serves as a strong warning to traffic enforcers, adding that the local government will terminate personnel caught engaging in illegal activities.
Operational adjustments
The retraining program ran on June 22, 23, 24, 29 and 30, with the agency splitting personnel into five batches to ensure daily road management in Mandaue City continued without interruption.
“We have conducted a refresher course purposely for all of our field personnel, including our mobile and clearing teams,” Retuya said. “It composed of five batches all in all, because we needed to ensure everyone was covered without paralyzing our traffic operations on the road.”
More than 200 field enforcers out of the agency’s total roster of over 400 personnel completed the course, which included both newly hired and veteran enforcers to establish a uniform standard of discipline across the city’s three-shift, 24-hour rotations.
Curbing extortion
Retuya said public grievances against traffic enforcers prompted the training, which targeted proper citizen-approach protocols, correct apprehension procedures, and strict ethical boundaries.
The city administration took a hardline stance against extortion, locally known as kotong, which plagues relationships between traffic enforcers and motorists. The city administrator sat in during the five training sessions and presented video evidence of past corrupt practices as a deterrent.
“We discussed this thoroughly to prevent incidents, particularly cases of extortion,” Retuya said. “At the very least, we want to warn our personnel that this is one of the top things they must absolutely avoid while out in the field. Our city administrator even sat in during those five sessions and showed actual footages of violations to warn our personnel against following bad examples.”
Internal discipline
The retraining also tackled secondary and minor infractions committed by enforcers, such as driving over road gutters and violating basic traffic laws. Retuya expressed disappointment over reports of enforcers using official motorcycles for personal errands, such as picking up students in uniform.
“We are carrying the name of Team, our department and the Mandaue City local government unit,” Retuya said. “We do not want the reputation of this administration to be tarnished. Enforcers must not commit these acts, especially using government resources like official motorcycles to transport children who are still in uniform.”
The push for internal discipline comes amid rising tension for traffic enforcers across Metro Cebu. When questioned about a recent incident in neighboring Cebu City, where a motorist struck and ran over a traffic enforcer, Retuya said Mandaue City has kept its personnel safe from similar violence.
“By God’s grace, we have had no such incidents here,” Retuya said. “And hopefully, we never will, because the job of our traffic enforcers on the road is highly dangerous. I know what happened there was an isolated case but it was shocking to watch because the enforcer was clearly standing right in front of the vehicle before it moved.”
Public complaints
The traffic chief assured Mandaue residents that the agency will continue to investigate public grievances received through the 8888 hotline and direct submissions to his office.
Retuya said the agency is actively weeding out bad actors, having already terminated several erring traffic enforcers following investigations backed by citizen evidence.
“We will absolutely not ignore these reports,” Retuya said. “When citizens send complaints, especially those backed by strong evidence, we take immediate action. In fact, some have already been dismissed from the service and removed from the department.” / ABC