The Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (TEAM) has suspended two traffic enforcers after videos of them violating traffic laws circulated on social media, prompting authorities to enforce discipline and reiterate the agency's responsibilities.
Hyll Retuya, head of TEAM, confirmed that the agency acted swiftly after verifying the strong evidence of the violations. Retuya emphasized that TEAM does not rely on rumors and ensures that all personnel undergo proper investigation and due process before penalties are imposed.
According to Retuya, "We have already imposed quite a number of suspensions without pay, including those involving habitual absences. As for the offenses committed by enforcers, there have been more or less 20 cases."
One incident involved a traffic enforcer who allegedly passed through a "no-right-turn" area by using the gutter, while another enforcer was seen holding onto the outside of a passenger jeepney while in uniform. Retuya said both personnel admitted their actions before TEAM's legal office.
He explained that penalties depend on the severity of the violation, with some receiving suspensions without pay. The enforcer caught holding onto the jeepney received a one-day suspension without pay. Retuya clarified that the officer had finished his duty and was heading home from his post in Subangdaku when the incident occurred. He added that the enforcer gave his seat inside the jeep to a female passenger, forcing him to hold onto the outside of the vehicle. Despite this explanation, the agency proceeded with disciplinary action. "With a heavy heart, he was suspended," Retuya described.
Retuya stressed that traffic enforcers must serve as examples to drivers and pedestrians since they are responsible for enforcing traffic laws in the city. "I already warned them. We are the ones implementing the law, so we should not be the first to violate the very laws we enforce," Retuya said.
