MMDA accuses 3 bus firms of paying payola
MANILA, Philippines - Newly-appointed Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Francis Tolentino on Thursday accused 3 bus companies of paying monthly payola to traffic enforcers.
He identified the bus companies as Baliwag Transit, Five Star Liner and St. Rose Bus Lines.
He said that the Baliwag Transit gives a group of MMDA traffic enforcers P20,000 month while the Five Star Lines and the St. Rose Bus Lines gives monthly payola of P30,000 and P20,000, respectively.
Tolentino warned other bus companies that he will expose them if they continue to pay bribes to traffic enforcers. "Ang mga hindi ko nabanggit na bus companies, kung may schedule kayo ng pagbibigay ng kotong, itigil ninyo iyon," he said.
The MMDA chairman also exposed transport terminals that are providing weekly payola to erring MMDA traffic enforcers. These include the Novaliches Centennial Terminal (P5,000 a week) and 8 FX taxi groups based at the SM Fairview Mall (P4,000 each a week).
Tolentino promised to expose the other "kotong buses" and transport groups in the next 2 weeks. He said he collated the list 2 days after taking over as MMDA chairman.
He said that after all the bus companies and other transport groups have been exposed, he will meet with the bus companies and ask them to sign an agreement.
"Gusto ko magkaroon sila ng commitment na hindi na sila magbibigay. Magpipirmahan kami sa isang document na hindi na sila magbibigay ng payola," Tolentino said.
He said that the list includes the names of traffic enforcers who have been collecting the monthly and weekly payola during the past several years.
Tolentino assured that these traffic enforcers will be kicked out of the MMDA.
He added that he will also ask all traffic enforcers currently employed by the MMDA to sign a separate agreement with him, promising that they will stop taking bribe money from traffic violators.
The new MMDA chairman, meanwhile, said he is also conducting a deeper probe into the "kotong" culture within the agency.
He believes that high government officials may also be benefitting from monthly payola.
Tolentino said that as ordered by Malacañang, he has started a review of the performances and records of current MMDA officials.
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wala ba kayong nahalatang mali?
ang pinagtataka ko lang eh parang baliktad yata. Yung mga bus operators pa ang binalaan ng bagong MMDA chairman? Di ba parang cla ang biktima? Ang dapat kasuhan at tanggalin sa serbisyo eh yung MMDA traffic enforcers na kumukuha ng kotong... PAPOGI ba nya ito sa mga tao? Parang mali..
bitay..
dapat sa mga ulupong na ganyan eh bitay ang iginagawad..
yan dapat ang pagtuonan ng pansin ng mga mambabatas natin at dapat kasama nag mga pulis sa re-shuffle ng hindi lumawig ang kanilang mga kawalangyaan..
dismiss from service
"He added that he will also ask all traffic enforcers currently employed by the MMDA to sign a separate agreement with him, promising that they will stop taking bribe money from traffic violators."
Chairman, I don't agree with this. It's a clear admission of guilt if they sign it. Dapat sa kanila, dimiss from service kaagad dahil yan ay corruption. If they've done it in the past, they will surely do it again. Yung sa mga bus ng nagbibigay ng kotong, that's a clear sign of bribery. Ask LTFRB to suspend/revoke their franchise/license to operate... It's time to enforce the law.
Replace those corrupt enforcers with new ones. Maraming taong matino na walang trabaho. Mahirap pagkatiwalaan na yung mga corrupt na MMDA personnel