THE supposedly settled issues surrounding the once mysterious arrangements for the illegal towing services carried out in Dagupan as early as 2005 until early 2007 raised even more questions.

Based on a report of the One Stop Business Center, a copy of which was obtained by The PUNCH, the city government collected P444,776 for clamping/towing fees and impoundments fees from January 2006 to April 2007 from JLD Motorworks and General Services and other apprehended “violators”.

In her letter to the Acting City Administrator dated October 17, 2007, Digna Liwanag, officer-in-charge office manager of OSBS, stated that clamping and towing fees remitted amounted to P299.076 and the impoundment fee, P145,700.

In the light of the admission of Public Order and Safety Office Chief Robert Erfe Mejia to City Legal Officer George Mejia that 20 per cent of the collections went to the city, the report did not indicate whether the revenues stated represented the 20% share of the city or the simply gross receipts from where JLD’s 80% share would be deducted.

The List of Transaction by Account submitted to Mejia by OSBS did not indicate how much JLD received or paid as its share.

CLO Mejia, a retired City Court judge, dubbed the collection of clamping/towing fees as well as impoundment fees as illegal, tantamount to illegal exaction, as there was no ordinance enacted by the Sangguniang Panlungsod providing the same.

Neither was there a contract executed by the city government with JLD allowing the latter to clamp/tow and impound vehicles that were parked in parts of the road designated as no parking areas, said Mejia.

Assuming that the sum total represented the city’s 20% share, then by PUNCH’s calculation, JLD received P1,779,104 as its 80% share out of possible total collection of P2,223.880.

CLO Mejia said, however, the POSO chief could not explain how the 20-80 sharing basis was arrived at.

The OSBS records reflected names of individual motorists whose vehicles must have been clamped/towed or impounded who paid in different amounts, ranging from P200, P400, P500 to P900.

The name of Jaime de La Pena or JLD appeared as the “taxpayer” who paid aggregate sums collectively over a period.

However, a verification made by the PUNCH in San Jacinto showed that de la Pena is chief mechanic of GLT Trucking owned by businessman George Li, identified as a businessman close to former Mayor Benjamin Lim.

JLD is not based in Sta. Maria, San Jacinto, where de la Peña resides but at San Vicente, San Jacinto where Mr. Li operates his business, the source said, hinting that De la Peña must have only been used as a dummy in order to hide the real owner of JLD.

As CLO Mejia pointed out, the motorists who were made to pay the illegal penalties can rightfully file claims against the JLD or even possibly POSO.

The names of individuals and entities listed who remitted and paid clamping/towing and impoundment fees to OSBC will be published in next week’s issue of The PUNCH. —LM

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