An official of the Inter-Agency Council for Traffic (I-ACT) last Sunday warned the public that there are now unscrupulous individuals who are posing as I-ACT enforcers.
Transportation Undersecretary and concurrent Chairman of the I-ACT Thomas M. Orbos said the presence of fake or “colorum” I-ACT operatives were discovered during their successful operations on the “Tanggal Bulok Tanggal Usok” program.
Orbos said that there have been reports of private and public vehicle owners complaining of harassment by “enterprising” enforcer/s claiming to be operatives of I-ACT.
“Some motorists have informed me that they were accosted by enforcers claiming to be from I-ACT. We don’t want the name of I-ACT to be tarnished. Its personnel were chosen carefully, not all enforcers qualify to be I-ACT,” Orbos said. The following are several factors to determine a legitimate I-ACT operations/personnel:
- An I-ACT operation—by its very nature—is interagency, so there must be a group of personnel coming from several agencies, which include the Department of Transportation, Land Transportation Office, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, HPG, AFP, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, TRB and the Department of the Interior and Local Government through the local government units.
A group from one or two agencies does not make it an I-ACT operations, more so, one enforcer, even if he participated in an I-ACT operation, or wears that I-ACT vest.
- I-ACT operations are not hidden in some obscure place and time. According to Orbos, I-ACT operates in active areas.
- All I-ACT personnel carry authorized IDs and mission orders.
- I-ACT operations don’t have boundaries. As it is interagency, it can operate outside Metro Manila when need be. In fact, plans are under way to implement similar operations protocol in Cebu.
- I-ACT operations carry heavier penalty, as enforcers can issue tickets for various traffic violations. Other agencies can only issue tickets for limited violations.
“We don’t hide our operations and surprise motorists because our operations are planned and coordinated,” Orbos said. “We emphasize to our men the value of integrity and public trust.”
The official vowed to move against these unauthorized operations. “We will bring notice to their respective agency heads of their misdeeds for proper action.”