A Cebuano blogger started a live broadcast on his social media page while at the LTO Medellin satellite office on Friday, August 16, to question the agency’s use of an improvised plate for one their vehicles. | Screenshot from Jeomar Cañete Unabia’s FB Live
CEBU CITY, Philippines – The head of the Land Transportation Office in Central Visayas (LTO-7) has ordered an investigation into the “malicious” video that was posted by a Cebu blogger who accused their satellite office in Medellin Cebu of illegal practices.
In a video which he posted on his social media on Friday, August 16, a blogger named Jeomar Unabia, accused LTO Medellin of the unauthorized use of an “improvised” plate in one of their service vehicles.
LTO-7 Director Glen Galario said they will have to determine first if Unabia’s social media posts had “legal implications” before they will take legal actions against him.
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At the same time, Galario said he will order for an internal investigation to look into Unabia’s other concerns.
Police Major Timothy Romanillos, chief of the Medellin Police Station, said that Unabia was brought to the hospital shortly after his visit to their police station on Friday after he complained of difficulty in breathing.
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The next day, Unabia travelled to Cebu City and said that he will not return to Medellin without a lawyer. In a video that he posted on his social media page, he said that an LTO Medellin employee had told him that they were retired police officers.
Live broadcast
Unabia visited the LTO satellite office in Medellin town in northern Cebu on Friday to settle his penalty for the use of a vehicle with broken brake lights.
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When he arrived at the office at past 11 a.m., he started a live broadcast and pointed at that one of the office’s service vehicles was using an improvised plate.
He alleged that the practice of using an improvised vehicle plate was contrary to the agency’s campaign against traffic violators.
Unabia also introduced another person, who he said was issued a citation ticket for the use of an improvised plate even if does have his driver’s license and vehicle registration.
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“Sakit sa buot, naay madakpan unya pagkahuman ang nanakop [naay] improvised plate,” he said.
Internal investigation
In the same video, an LTO Medellin employee can be seen approaching Unabia to call him out for doing a live broadcast. The same employee also attempted to grab his cellular phone.
Unabia told the employee that he will report him to the police and even followed him with his live video until the later entered their office.
Sought for comment, LTO-7 Director Glen Galario said that they are now conducting an internal investigation to look into Unabia’s concerns.
Quoting initial information, Galario said that Unabia’s driver’s license had expired way back in 2015.
On the use of a non-LTO issued plate, Galario said this was allowed under Memorandum Circular No. VDM-2024, provided that a permit is issued by the LTO. The temporary vehicle plate will be considered as valid until such time that a replacement is made available.
Galario said that the vehicle that Unabia saw was using an improvised plate because its original plate was already faded.
“Amo tong gituyo kay nakupas na ang plate number. Nya magpadagan mi og sakyanan nga dili maklaro nimo ang plate number, kinihanglang naay proper identification kay inkaso naay mga sala, mareport [dayon] sa police,” the LTO-7 director said.
Galario said that as part of their ongoing investigation, they will also verify if a permit was given to the vehicle in question.
Intended to malign the agency
On the accusations that one of their employee’s tried to grab Unabia’s phone, Galario said that this was triggered by Unabia’s action of bringing his phone close to the employee’s face.
“Natural ang tawo, gidul-it sa nawng ang cellphone, imo gyud nang sagngon. So, mao na siya ang initial investigation,” he said.
Based on the evidences that they have so far gathered, Galario said it was clear that Unabia was trying to malign their agency.
Instead of sensationalizing the issue, Unabia should have just settled his violation, he said
“Nangita ra man kag bikil sa among agency. That is not good. You are maligning our agency. There is malice. There is malicious intent. And that does not sit well sa akoa. So, I’m asking our legal officer unsay amo mabuhat niana,” Galario added.
However, as part of their investigation, Galario said they will also hear Unabia’s side.
Police investigation
Romanillos said that they will call Unabia and the LTO employee, who allegedly confronted him, to appear at the police station.
The police chief said that Unabia visited the police station on Friday to lodge a complaint against the LTO employee who allegedly confronted him on Friday. But their interview was cut short after Unabia complained of difficulty in breathing.
Romanillos said they sent Unabia to the hospital and are waiting for him to return to the police station.
In another video that he posted on social media, Unabia said he will not return to Medellin unless he is accompanied by a lawyer.
He also claimed that he was yelled at by other LTO personnel who went to see him at the police station on Friday.
Unabia claimed that he was scared for his safety, after the LTO employee allegedly told him that they were retired policemen.