Pasig axes 6 traffic officers

MANILA, Philippines — The Pasig City government has dismissed six officers of the Traffic and Parking Management Office (TPMO), a unit whose “notoriety” for corruption is subject to a still-ongoing crackdown, Mayor Vico Sotto said Monday night.

He said he signed the dismissal order of the six TPMO officers, also known as “Blue Boys,” who were caught extorting money from traffic violators.

“It might be painful to do, but if we give them another chance, nothing is going to happen. They can’t say I never warned them,” Sotto said in a statement.

He earlier acknowledged the “notoriety” of Pasig’s traffic enforcers, which he said prompted him to initiate a crackdown that began with drug tests, professionalization programs and strict policies against corrupt practices.

Pasig’s Blue Boys, according to Sotto, resorted to illicit practices because they are severely underpaid and work under temporary contracts, which he sought to fix by offering them opportunities to secure their tenure.

Last January, 13 of the city’s 700 TPMO constables tested positive for illegal drug use during a surprise drug test.

Dozens of TPMO constables have been fired or arrested since Sotto took over as mayor last year. The city government had also implemented the use of body cameras to monitor their activities.