Manila Bulletin
MMDA officials uncover racket of its anti-jaywalking unit; fake receipts being issued to jaywalkers
MMDA officials uncover racket of its anti-jaywalking unit; fake receipts being issued to jaywalkers
MMDA officials uncover racket of its anti-jaywalking unit; fake receipts being issued to jaywalkers
Published Jul 17, 2019 07:50 pm
By Jel Santos
The Anti-Jaywalking Unit of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is now under probe following the discovery of fake receipts being issued to jaywalkers.
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MANILA BULLETIN)
On Monday, Joanna Eclarinal, 34, the unit’s deputy for operations, was apprehended and is now detained at the Makati police headquarters’ detention cell.
The modus operandi, according to MMDA Spokesperson Celine Pialago, was discovered when a pregnant woman did not pay on the sixth floor of MMDA building where jaywalking violators were supposed to pay their fines.
“A pregnant woman went immediately to the sixth floor, but the process is to go first on the seventh floor so that she can get a confirmation. She was told by personnel on the sixth to go first to the seventh floor, then, return to them with confirmation so she could settle her fine,” she narrated.
“But, the pregnant woman did not return. So the personnel wondered. When they saw her, she told them that she already paid on the seventh floor and showed them a fake receipt,” Pialago continued.
The personnel from the sixth floor, Pialago said, immediately reported the incident to General Manager Jose Arturo Garcia so he asked the unit about the incident
Because of such, Jonathan Natividad and Frederick Arucan were alarmed. They were reportedly seen leaving in a hurry bringing some documents.
“They were seen leaving in a hurry. We believe that the documents they took were pieces of evidence to their modus operandi,” the MMDA spokesperson said.
Natividad and Arucan, meanwhile, did not take Eclarinal in their hasty escape that is why she is now in police custody. Both of them are now being hunted.
Apprehended Eclarinal admitted to Garcia about the falsification, Pialago said.
The agency has already sought the help of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) about the matter, to conduct a deeper probe.
Garcia said they halted for the meantime MMDA’s jaywalking apprehensions pending probe.
The 48 other personnel of the unit under investigation were placed under floating status because of the discovery of the modus operandi. Pialago said all of them are now being questioned.
Salvador Galang, head of the unit which is currently in hot water, said that he had nothing to do with the illegal operation of his men.
“Walang talaga akong alam. After 2 p.m., exit na ako. Siguro after my exit, 2 p.m., dun sila gumagalaw. Matagal na mga tao. Wala talaga. Nga-nga, blanko (I do not know anything. After 2 p.m., I am already out of the office. Maybe they were doing it after I leave. They have been here for too long. I really do not know),” he said.
The head of the Anti-Jaywalking Unit said that they are ready for the investigation.
According to Galang, he has no idea about the whereabouts of Natividad and Arucan who hastily left their office after the modus was discovered
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MANILA BULLETIN)
On Monday, Joanna Eclarinal, 34, the unit’s deputy for operations, was apprehended and is now detained at the Makati police headquarters’ detention cell.
The modus operandi, according to MMDA Spokesperson Celine Pialago, was discovered when a pregnant woman did not pay on the sixth floor of MMDA building where jaywalking violators were supposed to pay their fines.
“A pregnant woman went immediately to the sixth floor, but the process is to go first on the seventh floor so that she can get a confirmation. She was told by personnel on the sixth to go first to the seventh floor, then, return to them with confirmation so she could settle her fine,” she narrated.
“But, the pregnant woman did not return. So the personnel wondered. When they saw her, she told them that she already paid on the seventh floor and showed them a fake receipt,” Pialago continued.
The personnel from the sixth floor, Pialago said, immediately reported the incident to General Manager Jose Arturo Garcia so he asked the unit about the incident
Because of such, Jonathan Natividad and Frederick Arucan were alarmed. They were reportedly seen leaving in a hurry bringing some documents.
“They were seen leaving in a hurry. We believe that the documents they took were pieces of evidence to their modus operandi,” the MMDA spokesperson said.
Natividad and Arucan, meanwhile, did not take Eclarinal in their hasty escape that is why she is now in police custody. Both of them are now being hunted.
Apprehended Eclarinal admitted to Garcia about the falsification, Pialago said.
The agency has already sought the help of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) about the matter, to conduct a deeper probe.
Garcia said they halted for the meantime MMDA’s jaywalking apprehensions pending probe.
The 48 other personnel of the unit under investigation were placed under floating status because of the discovery of the modus operandi. Pialago said all of them are now being questioned.
Salvador Galang, head of the unit which is currently in hot water, said that he had nothing to do with the illegal operation of his men.
“Walang talaga akong alam. After 2 p.m., exit na ako. Siguro after my exit, 2 p.m., dun sila gumagalaw. Matagal na mga tao. Wala talaga. Nga-nga, blanko (I do not know anything. After 2 p.m., I am already out of the office. Maybe they were doing it after I leave. They have been here for too long. I really do not know),” he said.
The head of the Anti-Jaywalking Unit said that they are ready for the investigation.
According to Galang, he has no idea about the whereabouts of Natividad and Arucan who hastily left their office after the modus was discovered