Arrest Warrants Ready for 45 Drivers

● Some of these drivers were apprehended for a hundred violations and with fines reaching more than P100,000, CITOM said.

The court has issued arrest warrants against 45 drivers who allegedly ignored payments of their fines for traffic violations after they were apprehended by traffic enforcers in Cebu City.

Joy Tumulak, operations chief of the City Traffic Operations Management (CITOM), said some of the drivers were apprehended for violations reaching at least a hundred counts and with fines reaching more than P100,000.

But one of the drivers was apprehended only once on the road for disregarding a “no left turn” sign, but since his license was not confiscated, he allegedly ignored the seven-day reglamentary period for settling his P500 fine before the CITOM office.

Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC) Judge Monalila Tecson issued the warrants against the drivers months after the cases against them were filed.

Tumulak said CITOM has formed a combined team of traffic enforcers and policemen from the PNP Traffic Group to trace the whereabouts of the drivers so they can be arrested and turned over to the court for trial.

“Daghan niini nga mga drayber mga tag-iya og private vehicles sama sa usa ka university student nga nadakpan lang og kausa apan wala magtagad pagbayad sa iyang multahan mao nga gikiha og nalutsan og warrant,” Tumulak said.

The team proceeded to the house of the university student yesterday but the student was reportedly not around.

Tumulak requested the drivers who were apprehended and had been issued a traffic citation ticket to verify their case with the Traffic Violations Bureau (TVB).

CITOM had already coordinated with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) so that drivers who are cited for traffic violations would have to get clearance from CITOM before their licenses can be released by the LTO, Tumulak said.