Impounded by CCTO: Gealon wants inventory of vehicles

CEBU, Philippines —  Cebu City Councilor Rey Gealon wants the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) to conduct an inventory of all impounded vehicles under their safekeeping and to submit a report within 15 days.

This is contained in a resolution that he will present for approval during their regular City Council session next Wednesday.

The request would come more than a week after the alleged "cannibalization" of an impounded motorcycle. The CCTO launched an investigation into the matter but Gealon said it has yet to come up with a report.

Gealon, City Council committee on laws, ordinances, and styling chairman, was appointed as head of the City's Traffic Management Committee (formerly Citom board) last week.

In an interview with The FREEMAN, he said CCTO has yet to conclude its investigation, which it should do thoroughly to "reestablish their credibility."

"We're awaiting the outcome of the investigation in an official report,” Gealon said.

The investigation was prompted by the complaint of an owner of a motorcycle that the CCTO impounded.

Attorney Kent Francesco Jongoy, CCTO legal officer, said in an interview that a complainant came forward to their office claiming that his impounded motorcycle was stripped of its parts.

Jongoy further narrated that it was just after the day that the motorcycle was released that the owner claimed that the motorcycle has missing parts.

As a precautionary measure, the security personnel assigned at the impounding area were temporarily relieved from their posts pending the result of the investigation.

“To re-establish credibility in the safekeep of impounded private vehicles under government custody, there has to be some form of audit and I believe conducting inventory is a step towards that direction,” Gealon said.

He said an inventory is "critical to ensure that there will be no incidents that will happen in the future".

“I am confident that there will be full cooperation on their part as it is to the public's best interest,” said Gealon. (CEBU NEWS)