BAGUIO CITY - Pursuant to the marching orders of President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III to curb the proliferation of corruption in the bureaucracy, Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan here ordered city officials and employees to refrain from "influence-peddling" in transacting with concerned government offices in order to advance their personal and political interests.
The marching order was handed down by Domogan after learning that over 35 percent of the confiscated driver's licenses and vehicle plate numbers of those vehicles and drivers that were caught by law enforcers for violating various traffic rules and regulations are being pulled out from the police stations upon the intervention of politicians and some enterprising government employees.
In order to ensure that no local official or employee will unduly intervene with the duties and responsibilities of various offices, the local chief executive barred civil servants from dipping their fingers in the processing of business permits, demolition orders, releasing of confiscated licenses and plate numbers among others so that those who deserved to be punished will be meted the corresponding penalties.
As an example, Chief Superintendent Villamor Bumanglag, director of the Police Regional Office (PRO) in the Cordillera, claimed law enforcers are now being demoralized because after performing their assigned tasks of apprehending traffic violators ranging from illegal parking, reckless driving among others, they discover that the confiscated driver's licenses and license plates are pulled out without paying the corresponding fines because of the intercession of influential individuals.
