APPREHENSION of colorum vehicles in Dagupan by the Public Order and Safety Office (POSO) has sparked a running feud between the Dagupan City government and the Land Transportation Office (LTO).

This was gleaned from a letter signed by LTO Regional Director Teofilo Guadiz III who voided the apprehension and called on the apprehended drivers to get their licenses confiscated by the POSO from the LTO without having to pay anything.

Moreover, Guadiz declared that the POSO men, including their chief, retired SPO4 Carlito Ocampo, are not authorized to apprehend violators of national traffic laws since they are not among those deputized by LTO.

However, City Legal Officer Victoria Cabrera said the “Carlito O. Oviedo” deputized by LTO is actually Ocampo, the current POSO chief’s middle name is Oviedo.

She told newsmen she called Guadiz to correct the name but only through the phone and was not followed up by an official communication.

Since Ocampo was issued a deputation identification card by the LTO, including a booklet of Temporary Operator’s Permit (TOP), she was under the impression that LTO had noted the correction.

The issued TOPs handed to Ocampo were what were issued to apprehended drivers of colorum vehicles plying the Urdaneta-Dagupan route without a terminal in the city.

“If I am not deputized, why did they issue me an ID with my name on it and a booklet of TOP,” Ocampo told newsmen and suspected it was his apprehension of two colorum vehicles operating along Urdaneta- Dagupan that triggered Guadiz outburst.

On April 25 at 9:00 a.m. POSO men also apprehended a tricycle driver who drove through the downtown area.

The passenger of the tricycle was a woman employee of LTO who put out her ID and dared the POSO men to confiscate it.

The tricycle driver had no license, according to Ocampo. The incident was recorded in the police blotter.

Guadiz told newsmen in phone interview, Ocampo is not qualified to be deputized because the transportation code requires  that only regular employees can qualify and Ocampo is only a contractual worker of the city government.

A letter circulated to all members of the transport sector purportedly signed by Guadiz claims that POSO enforcers, including Ocampo are not authorized to enforce national traffic rules nor to issue traffic violation tickets and confiscate driver’s licenses.

Guadiz said LTO and its deputized agents cannot impound colorum vehicles since that is a function reserved for the Land Transportation and Franchising Board.

Meanwhile, Mayor Belen Fernandez backed the apprehension of colorum vehicles plying in the city’s streets by Ocampo and his men.

Fernandez said the legitimate operators have their terminals   in     the city   and   the   colorum vans violate the city’s ordinance.

Ocampo said there are about 40 colorum vans plying the Urdaneta-Dagupan route. (Leonardo Micua)

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