Cebu City traffic enforcer nabbed for extortion

Traffic enforcer Roger Cadutdut at the CIDG detention facility. | Contributed photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A 39-year-old traffic enforcer of the Cebu City Traffic Office (CCTO) was arrested on Thursday night, June 17, for allegedly trying to extort money from an undercover “traffic violator” along MJ Cuenco Avenue in Barangay Caretta, Cebu City.

Police Colonel Ireneo Dalogdog, the regional chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG-7) identified the suspect as Roger Cadutdut, a resident of Barangay Pung-ol Sibugay, a mountain barangay in Cebu City.

Dalogdog said that CCTO officials coordinated with them to conduct an entrapment operation against the suspect. He added that Lyntoni Alburo, CCTO officer-in-charge, stood as Cadutdut’s complainant.

This after Alburo received a copy on Friday, June 11, of a video of the suspect having a conversation with a driver he flagged down for a traffic violation. The conversation ended with the suspect demanding money from the victim without him knowing he was filmed.

“Pumunta sila sa aming opisina because of several complaints from anonymous drivers na itong si Mr. Roger Cadutdut ay may mga illegal activities lalo na sa pangongotong…Instead na mag issue siya ng citation ticket, in return yun (money) yung ibibigay mo,” Dalogdog said.

Dalogdog added that this was not the first offense committed by Cadutdut. In fact, he said that this is already the third complaint they received about the suspect. He added that Alburo already warned the suspect about the infractions but her warnings apparently fell on deaf ears.

“Nung unang reklamo sa kaniya, hiningan siya ng P300 tapos yong bago na naman ay P2,000. Then kahapon, P1,000 din naman yung hiningi nya sa aming undercover operative,” he added.

For her part, Alburo said that she did not expect him to do it again given the warnings other employees have given to the suspect. She said that Cadutdut has been a traffic enforcer for about two years now.

“Before nakadawat tag complaint nga ni kuan (nangayo) siya og P300. Dili man gud ta mutuo dayon og di ta makakuan (kuhag) ebidensya. Last Friday, nakadawat ko og video, didto nakita na gyud nako og giunsa gyud niya. In spite of nasultian nana siya sa amoang kauban nga naa koy kopya sa video,” she said.

Alburo reminds the public to not hesitate to report to them illegal deeds committed by their men so appropriate charges can be filed against them.

Cadutdut, for his part, refused to issue any statement. He is currently detained in the CIDG detention facility and will be facing charges of Robbery Extortion.     /rcg