Tony Samante, chief of the Tagbilaran City Traffic Office (TCMO), has taken action against his personnel who have shown blatant arrogance while exercising their authority, particularly in enforcing traffic rules related to parked vehicles.
He made this revelation during an interview with Open Forum hosts Ardy Araneta-Batoy and Glora Leodivica Araneta on April 5, 2024.
Samante’s appearance on Open Forum is noteworthy as he has been known to decline invitations to appear on radio programs for a considerable period.
Samante acknowledged that some of his personnel have displayed arrogance, which could potentially lead to conflicts between motorists and traffic enforcers.
He noted that while some of his staff are kindhearted and understanding, others are arrogant, unyielding, and occasionally inconsiderate.
He assured the program hosts that any report of arrogance or rudeness is taken seriously, with the aim of rectifying the negative attitude of the personnel involved.
This issue stems from various reports of arrogance and rudeness exhibited by traffic enforcers towards motorists.
Samante stated that his personnel are now aware of how to conduct themselves in public.
He further claimed that there have been no recent reports of complaints regarding personnel rudeness and arrogance.
During the program, Samante initially hesitated to admit that some of his personnel were engaged in arrogant or rude behavior, but he eventually conceded.
Program host Araneta pointed out to Samante that some traffic enforcers would ignore protocol and take pleasure in penalizing a motorist through the clamping of vehicles.
Some traffic enforcers would disregard due process and often proceed with the clamping, which is a violation of rights, Araneta added.
The hosts suggested that Samante should disseminate his best practices to ordinary traffic personnel to ensure a fair and kind implementation of traffic rules in the city.
Samante agreed with this suggestion and mentioned that he meets with his personnel every Saturday to discuss ways to improve their work as traffic enforcers.
Is It the End of the Line for Dauis Tricycles?
Araneta-Batoy asked Samante about the reports that tricycles registered in Dauis are allowed to enter Tagbilaran City, but these vehicles are not permitted to travel beyond Shopper’s Mart.
Samante denied these reports. However, his statement contradicts what traffic enforcers have been saying.
According to Samante, the law states that Dauis tricycles cannot travel past the causeway, just as Tagbilaran tricycles cannot pass beyond the causeway bridge. The same rules apply to the Borja bridge.
Despite this, Samante mentioned a pact allowing the free travel of tricycles from both Dauis and Tagbilaran City, where tricycles can freely roam within the city or in Dauis.
He added that a trip ticket is required for Dauis tricycles to enter and roam around Tagbilaran.
However, Dauis tricycles are not allowed to pick up passengers in Tagbilaran bound for Dauis, and vice versa, Samante clarified.
Samante mentioned that the issues on inter-LGU tricycle trips were discussed in a special meeting on April 6, 2024.