ROAD RAGE

Secret video goes viral: Radio blocktimer berates Citom enforcer after traffic  violation

A man (in crash helmet) introduced himself as a radio commentator and government worker insulted and threatened a Citom traffic enforcer after flagging him for traffic violations. (FACEBOOK VIDEO GRAB)

You are just a casual employee.”

“I work in the media.”

“There have been many Citom personnel I’ve asked Mayor Michael Rama to junk before.”

The angry words of  a radio commentator who scolded a  Cebu City traffic enforcer face to face  for issuing him a traffic ticket last May 20 have come back to haunt him.

A video of the encounter, taken by  the beleaguered Citom enforcer using a camera phone tucked in his shirt pocket, has gone viral.

As of 9 p.m. last night, the video of  dyLA radio blocktimer Roger Cimafranca making threats and flaring up was viewed  65,653 times  and had 3,736 shares.

Most of the viewers castigated the broadcaster for arrogance and abuse of his position.

He was caught on camera confronting a calm-voiced  Lyndon Lito Ocampo of the Cebu City Traffic Operations Management (Citom), who refused to give in  to the broadcaster’s appeal to hold off issuing a traffic citation after Cimafranca was flagged down  in the South Road Properties (SRP) past 5 p.m.  for driving a motorcycle with two passengers  who didn’t wear  crash helmets — two violations.

Traffic violations committed and fines:

OVERLOADING Php 500.00

NO CRASH HELMET Php 2,000.00

Cimafranca, who spoke in a raised voice in Cebuano,  waved his credentials as a radio commentator. However, dyLA have said otherwise. dyLA aired over the radio that Cimafranca is not a staff but a blocktime radio host of programs on the station.

He also said  he was a liaison officer of the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) of Cebu City. ( His two backriders wore the blue shirt uniforms of the ABC.) He also dropped the name of Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama.

CHARGES    

Now Cimafranca is in big trouble.

On top of  public censure online,  Citom  is preparing to file criminal charges against the broadcaster for violating City Ordinance 801 or the Traffic Code of Cebu City.

Citom operations chief Joy Tumulak said  Cimafranca stands to pay P2,000 for the failure of his passengers  to wear helmets and P500 for overloading. Only one backrider is allowed by law.

The violations could have been settled by paying administrative fines within one week from the apprehension, but Cimafranca never showed up afterward.

The video was uploaded by Brian Rollo, a co-worker of the Citom enforcer.

Radio dyLA station manager Jun P. Tagalog condemned the broadcaster’s conduct.

“What he did to the traffic enforcer was a plain and simple abuse of his access to the dyLA microphones. DyLA condemns in the strongest possible terms such abuse by Mr. Cimafranca and will never condone such shameful act,” Tagalog said.

“Henceforth, the dyLA management will not allow Mr. Cimafranca to use his upcoming programs to continue to berate, warn and insult the concerned traffic enforcer,” he added.

He said  Cimafranca is not their employee but hosts a paid  program entitled “Kabarangayan (Village)” every Saturday.

Cimafranca has two time slots in the station, 3 p.m. – 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. – 8 p.m. every Saturday.

The station’s contract for the evening program  bears the name of Michael Ralota, former ABC president.

Ralota later confirmed with Cebu Daily News that he funds the show.  CDN was still trying to verify if Cimafranca was  connected with City Hall.

“As a blocktimer at dyLA, the management’s authority over him is limited to the way he should handle his programs and make sure that he meets the requirements of the KBP Broadcast Code to be allowed to handle a radio program,” Tagalog said.

Tagalog is also the vice president for radio of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas  (KBP), the industry’s arm for self-regulation.

RANTING

Cimafranca’s ranting included threats and insults.

“Huwata lang pila ka semana. Wala ko mahadlok.  Kabaw ka na casual ra ka. Pila na ka Citom akong gihangyo ni Mayor Michael Rama na ibutang sa basurahan (Just wait for a few weeks.  I’m not afraid.  You know you are just a casual employee. There have been many Citom personnel I’ve asked  Mayor Michael Rama to junk,” Cimafranca said in the video.

“Tan-awon ta lang. Kung dili ka mabalhin, magpaputol ko sa akong liog. Kung dili ka mataktak, tan-awon nato (Let’s wait and see. I will have my head cut off if you’re not transferred. Let’s see if you are not terminated),” he continued.

“Kabaw ko sayop ko but strikto ra kaayo ka. Pahangyo man gani ang LTO na unsa ra man ka. Dili ba ni hangyo ko nimo, ABC akong kauban ihatod ko sa unahan. Huwata lang pila ka semana. Wala ko mahadlok. Kabaw ka na casual raka.

Pila na ka Citom ako gihangyo ni Mayor Michael Rama na ibutang sa basurahan (I know I’m at fault  but you’re too strict. I can request LTO — what’s wrong with you? Didn’t I ask you a favor? My companion is from the ABC.”

Then he dropped Mayor Rama’s name.

STRONG POINTS

According to the CITOM Executive Officer, Rafael Christopher L. Yap, they will be at the back of their traffic enforcer, Lyndon Lito Ocampo, since he was just doing his job and this were just simple traffic violations that was blown off to a big issue.

Yap told Cebu Daily News that they will be doing a background check on Cimafranca if he is connected with City Hall.

“Normal ra man na sa among tanan nga traffic enforcer nga hulga-hulga-on mi. Part na gyud na sa amoang trabaho, mao nga kami pud mag matngon sad mi sa among mga ipanulti. Pero para namo, mas maayo nang hulgaon mi sa among madakpan kaysa sa tao nga mag hilom lang, mao na ang mas kuyaw kay dili ta maka-hibaw unsay mahitabo. Mo pa ubos na lang gyud ta (We consider threats on our daily work as traffic enforcers normal. It became a part of our job and that’s why we keep calm and do not argue. But for us enforcers it’s better to have encounters with violators who express their anger rather than face someone who keeps quiet and we wouldn’t know what they have in mind. It’s better for us to be grounded),” Traffic Enforcer, Erwin Restauro, a colleague of Ocampo cited his opinion when asked about the incident.

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