TEAM enforcers axed for not issuing ticket

Two members of the Traffic Management Agency of Mandaue (TEAM) were sacked for failing to issue a citation ticket and not on charges of extortion raised by a foreigner who claimed to have paid one of them P1,500.

“Right now the TEAM had already recommended for their termination of their violation in conduct unbecoming.  The accusation of bribery was not established, only the getting of license and failure of issuing the citation ticket,” Mandaue City Legal Officer Giovanni Tianero said.

Tianero said the decision to sack Ringo Penades and Arman Gallardo was recommended by TEAM in a report they submitted to Mandaue City Hall’s Human Resource Department.

But Tianero said their office will still investigate their case before making a decision on it.

“We think that the area has closed circuit TV cameras there, maybe we can check that out,” he said.

The video of the alleged extortion taken by the foreigner happened along the intersections of E.O. Perez and Ouano Avenue of Mandaue City’s North Reclamation Area (NRA) on the eve of the Sinulog celebration last January 18. It was uploaded on YouTube.

The TEAM personnel flagged down the foreigner and his Filipina girlfriend after they made a prohibited U-turn in the area. They took the foreigner’s license but did not issue a citation ticket. Penades denied the accusation.

“There is no extortion that happened. We just talked with the foreigner about his traffic violation,” he said. Penades declined to elaborate.

Tianero said the TEAM report will be submitted to City Administrator James Abadia.