President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered to fire Land Transportation Office (LTO) and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials in Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya after the reports of rampant extortion activities happening in the said province.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement that the President quickly fired the public officials in response to the “complaints by truck owners of extortion activities amounting to millions of pesos every month”.
According to the Palace, the extortionists assigned in weighing station in Aritao earned P30-M a month for asking money to the drivers of trucks with agricultural goods.
“The traders said this is being made as an excuse to extort between P500 to P1,000 per truck whose operators have no choice but to pay up to avoid delay and inconvenience.” Department of Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol said in his Facebook post.
“As much as 1,000 trucks pass through the weighing scale everyday and the extorted money amounts to between P500,000 to P1-M daily or up to P30-M every month.” he added.
It was reported that the President was fuming after hearing the complaint from the truck owners and ordered his Cabinet Secretary to bring the extortionist in the palace as soon as possible to “squeeze their faces”.
“Dalhin mo sila sa akin sa Malacañang kay kumoton nako ilang mga nawong,” he said in a mix of Tagalog and Visaya dialects.
Duterte also talked to DOTr Secretary Art Tugade about the extortion activities happening in Nueva Vizcaya.
“Art, pasensya ka na istorbohin muna kita pero kailangan mo i-relieve yong mga LTO mo sa Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya. Pagkatapos dalhin mo sila sa akin sa Malacañang kay kumoton nako ilang mga nawong,” the President told Tugade.
(Bring them to me in Malacañang and I will squeeze their faces.)
As of writing, the officials received punishment from President Duterte are not yet releasing a statement.
