Tumulak wants driver in ‘kotong’ video investigated too

CEBU CITY, Philippines—Cebu City Councilor David Tumulak is urging the City Legal Office not to let the driver in the controversial ‘kotong’ video off the hook. 

“I also urge the City Legal and the police that if there is an investigation, [include also] the driver because that was bribery,” said Tumulak

The councilor said that the video was edited and the driver must surrender the copy of the video to find out if he offered the bribe or was coerced to give a bribe. 

READ: Labella fires ‘kotong’ traffic enforcer

The councilor said the traffic enforcer was really in the wrong in the video because he had the intention of receiving bribes. But driver, who offered the bribe, should not also be let off the hook. 

“The video [showed] more on the violation of the traffic enforcer. They cut [the video]. So [I am asking the] driver, please surrender the full video,” said Tumulak. 

The councilor said that the City Legal must get to the bottom of this as any driver may start taking edited videos of enforcers out of context and unfairly cause the termination of good working ones. 

Tumulak believes that the traffic enforcer in the video should not have been immediately terminated pending investigation.  Instead, Tumulak said the driver should have been suspended without pay until the investigation was done.

This way, Tumulak said, the driver would have had a chance to air out his side as due in a proper process. 

Tumulak clarified that he condemns any act of bribery and that those guilty—both receiver and giver of the bribe—should be punished. 

/bmjo