Makati traffic official caught in extort try

A Makati City traffic engineering official was arrested yesterday afternoon after he was caught collecting protection money from jeepney drivers.

Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes, concurrent chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Kontra Kotong and Kolorum, identified the suspect as Ramon Fernandez, who heads the Traffic Engineering Office of the Makati Public Safety Authority, now called the Public Safety Department.

Chief Superintendent Edwin Corvera, executive officer of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Directorate for Operations, said Fernandez was arrested in the act of collecting P15,000 protection money from jeepney drivers during an entrapment operation conducted by the Southern Police District special action team led by Chief Inspector Ed Chan.

Members of the Makati Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association, in a letter addressed to PNP chief Director General Avelino Razon Jr., asked him to give them this particular Christmas gift – put an end to Fernandez’s alleged extortion activities.

The drivers told Razon that Fernandez was forcing them to pay P200 to P300 for route stickers, which are supposed to be free of charge, as indicated in a memorandum of agreement between the Makati government and their association.