PASIG, Philippines – Newly-elected Barangay Chairman Dietmar “Akaw” Romualdez was slammed by Mayor Vico Sotto after the former flexed his power badly on his first day in the office after he rushed to inform the personnel of Traffic and Parking Management Office (TPMO) that they are not allowed to conduct an operation to his territory and they should inform his office before doing an operation on his territory and finally, to make them release a motorcycle rider that is not wearing a standard helmet while possessing only a student permit after the said motorcycle rider called to his office for help after TPMO ticketed him on his road and traffic violations.
Watch: Mayor Vico galit na galit! si Kap kasi unang araw pa lang sa pagkakaupo nang aarbor na umano ng huli (Mayor Vico is very angry! The Brgy. Chairman Dietmar “Akaw” Romualdez because on the first day of his term, he allegedly harbored the violator.)
The incident angered Mayor Vico Sotto, who vented his frustration on a Meta and Youtube video by iNews Pasig. He said that Barangay Dela Paz Chairman Dietmar “Akaw” Romualdez was rude, disrespectful, and abusive of his authority. He said that he would not tolerate such behavior and that he would always support the TPMO personnel as long as they were doing their job correctly. He also said that Barangay Dela Paz Chairman Dietmar “Akaw” Romualdez should respect the law and the uniformed personnel. He added that he never intervened or asked for favors for anyone who was caught violating the traffic rules, even if they were mayors. He also expressed his disappointment with Barangay Dela Paz Chairman Dietmar “Akaw” Romualdez, who was the only one who refused to wait for the official date of assuming office and insisted on taking over immediately.
“Matuto siyang rumespeto. Gumalang siya sa awtoridad. Galangin niya iyong mga tao natin sa TPMO. Galangin niya ang Local Government of Pasig,” (He should learn to respect. He should respect the authority. He should respect our people in the TPMO. He should respect the Local Government of Pasig,) Mayor Vico said as he vented out his frustration on the incident.
Mayor Vico Sotto got angry and furious after he received the report of what Dietmar “Akaw” Romualdez, the newly-elected chairman of Barangay Dela Paz did. Barangay Chairman-elect Akaw Romualdez said that TPMO or the Traffic and Parking Management Office should inform his office before doing an operation on his territory and allegedly, he rushed to the scene where the TPMO personnel are conducting their operation and demanded to release the violation of the motorcycle rider who contacted him for help.
Mayor Vico Sotto stressed that disrespecting the government employees and the local government would not work on him.
“May kapitan na nandito sa Barangay Dela Paz. Unang araw pa lang na nag-assume office si Kapitan Akaw, ganiyan na kaagad ang ginagawa. Tingnan mo nagsabi sa TPMO natin, sinabihan ang TPMO natin na kapag mag-ooperate daw ang TPMO sa Barangay Dela Paz, kailangan daw muna tumimbre muna sa kanya. Kailangan daw mag-abiso sa kanya. Ang kapal naman ng mukha niyan. First day pa lang, first day pa lang ganyan na. Ano pa kaya kapag tumagal-tagal ‘to. Napakabastos. Binabastos iyong mga tao natin. Ako, mga tao natin, basta tama ang huli, sagot natin sila. Ako hindi pulitika ang pinag-uusapan natin dito ah. Kung panalo siya, panalo siya walang problema pero matuto siyang rumespeto. Gumalang siya sa awtoridad. Galangin niya yung mga tao natin sa TPMO. Galangin niya ang Local Government of Pasig.” (There is a captain here in Barangay Dela Paz. On the first day that Barangay Chairman Akaw Romualdez assumed office, he did that right away. Look, he told our TPMO that when the TPMO operates in Barangay Dela Paz, they need to call him first. They need to inform him. He has a lot of nerve. It’s only his first day, and he’s already doing that. What more if this goes on for a long time? It’s very rude. He’s disrespecting our people. As for me, our people, as long as they are doing the right thing, we’ll take care of them. We’re not talking about politics here. If he wins, he wins, no problem, but he should learn to respect. He should respect the authority. He should respect our people in the TPMO. He should respect the Local Government of Pasig.) Mayor Vico said.
“Wala na nga eh pinayagan na nga eh. Sige, gusto mo talaga mag-assume office na ngayon. Pinayagan naman siya. Di naman siya haharangan eh. Nakiusap kami baka puwede sabay-sabay na lahat. Sa (November) 20, sabay-sabay na diba ayun ang pakiusap sa lahat. Lahat 29 barangays pumayag, siya lang talaga ang ayaw. Edi okay lang karapatan niya iyon pero pagdating sa paggalang sa mga enforcers natin, sa mga awtoridad, uniformed personnel natin na kinikila ng batas na may awtoridad na manghuli at mag-enforce ng batas trapiko, sumunod tayo. Sumunod tayo. Walang kapitan kapitan. Tanungin niyo kahit sinong enforcers natin. Ilan ang enforcers natin? [TPMO personnel: 600 plus po]. More than 600 traffic enforcers sa buong Pasig. Magtanong po kayo kung tumawag kahit isang beses para makiusap na huwag hulihin si ganto, pakawalan si ganto, kahit isang beses. Tanungin niyo, isa-isahin niyo iyong 600 plus enforcers natin, kahit isang beses, wala akong tinawagan para pagbigyan ang isang tao,” (He was already allowed to assume office. Fine, you really want to assume office now. He was allowed. He was not blocked. We asked if it was possible for everyone to do it together. On (November) 20, everyone is okay to assume officially together, right? That was the request to everyone. All 29 barangays agreed, he was the only one who refused. Well, that’s fine, that’s his right, but when it comes to respecting our enforcers, our authorities, our uniformed personnel who are recognized by the law as having the authority to apprehend and enforce the traffic laws, let’s follow. Let’s follow. No captain captain,) Mayor Vico added.
“Ngayon first day pa lang of office niya, may tatawag sa kanya tapos sasabihin dapat hindi hulihin iyan. Anong klaseng tao ‘yan? Anong klaseng opisyales ‘yan? Anong klaseng lider ‘yan? Ang lider, dapat siya ang unang sumusunod sa batas. Unang araw pa lang, gumagawa na ng problema. Isipin mo, para sabihin ‘yung enforcer natin, na bawal manghuli kung walang permiso niya? Anong klase ‘yan?” (Now, on his first day of office, someone will call him and say that he should not be caught. What kind of person is that? What kind of official is that? What kind of leader is that? A leader should be the first to follow the law. On the first day, he’s already causing problems. Imagine, to tell our enforcer that he can’t catch someone without his permission? What kind of person is that?) Mayor Vico added.
“Sinugod pa Sir” (They were rushed into, Sir) a concerned individual who commented on what happened.
“Sinugod pa?” (They were rushed into?) Mayor Vico asked.
“Sila.” (Them.) replied by the concerned individual.
“Sinugod pa kayo?” (You were rushed?) Mayor Vico confirmed with the TPMO personnel.
“Pinuntahan po kami.” (Yes, they went to us.) replied by the several TPMO personnel who experienced the incident.
“Basta kayo sagot ko kayo kasi tama ginagawa niyo. Tingnan niyo sinugod pa iyong mga enforcer natin. Sinugod pa. Ako marami akong naririnig, marami akong nababalitaan. Buong campaign period, wala kayong narinig sa akin. Wala kayong narinig, di ko siya siniraan. Wala akong sinabi doon sa mga nababalitaan ko, doon sa mga naririnig ko na abuse of authority… mga botante galing sa Rizal kasi wala naman akong ebidensya pero heto, sinugod niya mga tao natin na tama ang ginagawa, hindi ako papayag ng ganyan. Unang araw pa lang niya, gumagawa na siya ng problema. Nakakahiya naman sa mga taga-Barangay Dela Paz. Tayo, ginagawa lang natin kung ano ang tingin natin na tama na nasa loob tayo ng batas.” (Whatever happens, I’ve got your back because you’re doing the right thing. Look, our enforcers were even attacked. They were attacked. I’ve heard a lot, I’ve been informed a lot. During the entire campaign period, you didn’t hear anything from me. You didn’t hear anything, I didn’t smear him. I didn’t say anything about the rumors I heard, the things I heard about abuse of authority… the voters from Rizal because I don’t have any evidence, but here, he is attacking our people who are doing the right thing. I won’t allow that. On his first day, he’s already causing problems. It’s embarrassing for the people of Barangay Dela Paz. We’re just doing what we think is right within the law.) Mayor Vico added as he were informed of what newly-elected Barangay Chairman Dietmar “Akaw” Romualdez did on the personnel of the Local Government of Pasig.
“Huwag ganyan.” (Don’t be like that.) last line given by Mayor Vico Sotto.
The TPMO personnel and the residents of Barangay Dela Paz applauded after Mayor Vico Sotto gave his statement to the iNews Pasig. The video was published in the social media accounts of iNews Pasig.
Later, Mayor Vico Sotto posted on his Meta account and clarified what actually happened in the incident. The content of his post are stated as follows:
“Baka hindi po malinaw yung sinasabi ko kanina sa isang “FB Live” ( INews Pasig yata yung nandun pero baka irepost din ng iba)…..
Kanina, may nahuli ang TPMO na NO HELMET (at naka student permit lang) , tinawagan si Kap Akaw para di na siya hulihin– maya maya pinuntahan pa ni Kap ang mga enforcer natin (sinugod) para sabihin na Bawal sila manghuli sa Dela Paz kung walang abiso sa kanya. Maling mali po ito. Abuse of authority.
Pag may mali ang TPMO enforcer (lalo na sa kotong), tinatanggal o suspendido sila. Pero pag tama ang ginagawa nila, SAGOT KO SILA. Kahit mayor pa ang natiketan, pag tama ang huli, respetuhin.
RESPECT THE LAW AND RESPECT UNIFORMED PERSONNEL.”
English Translation:
“Maybe what I said earlier in an “FB Live” (I think it was INews Pasig, but it might be reposted by others) wasn’t clear…
Earlier, the TPMO caught a NO HELMET violator (who only had a student permit), and Kap Akaw was called so that he wouldn’t be caught. Later, Kap even went to our enforcers (rushed to them) to say that they were not allowed to catch anyone in Dela Paz without informing him. This is completely wrong. Abuse of authority.
If a TPMO enforcer makes a mistake (especially in bribery/extortion), they are removed or suspended. But if they are doing the right thing, I will support them. Even if the mayor is the one who was ticketed, if the apprehension is correct, respect it.
RESPECT THE LAW AND RESPECT UNIFORMED PERSONNEL.”
