Iloilo City traffic enforcer arrested in drug bust

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

The Iloilo City Traffic and Transportation Management Office is again under scrutiny after one of its traffic enforcers was arrested in a buy-bust operation in La Paz district on Wednesday night, July 1.

The 48-year-old female traffic enforcer was arrested in Zone 1, Barangay Baldoza, La Paz, along with her 53-year-old live-in partner.

Authorities recovered from the two suspects 65 grams of suspected shabu with an estimated market value of PHP 442,000.

Police said the suspects had been under surveillance for three weeks.

The drug supply was reportedly sourced in La Paz and sold in nearby districts.

TTMO head Uldarico Garbanzos said the employee had already been included in the office’s watch list of personnel allegedly linked to the illegal drug trade.

“It is another blow to our office that another traffic enforcer has been arrested for alleged involvement in illegal drugs. Her name was already among those included in reports from our investigations,” he said Thursday, July 2.

The arrest came less than a month after the Iloilo City Government conducted a random drug test on more than 2,000 City Hall employees on June 11.

The apprehended traffic enforcer was among those who underwent the test.

Despite being subjected to the screening, the traffic enforcer tested negative for illegal drug use.

“We expected that the result would be unfavorable to her, but it came out negative,” Garbanzos said.

Garbanzos said he suspects that the urine specimen submitted during the drug test may have been switched.

“There were reports that she may have managed to manipulate the process during the collection of the urine sample and substituted the specimen she submitted. That is our speculation,” he explained.

The traffic enforcer was assigned to the second shift in La Paz district.

“We have not failed in reminding them. Every pre-deployment briefing, every stop conference and monthly traffic information and containing education we always remind,” the TTMO chief stressed.

Garbanzos said the traffic enforcer will face immediate dismissal from the TTMO once criminal charges are formally filed.

“We do not tolerate this kind of behavior. Conducting drug tests is one of the ways we ensure that we are cleansing our office,” he said.

“We will continue to maintain a drug-free workplace. We are also preparing operational changes to prevent personnel who are on our watch list from engaging in illegal activities,” he added.

The latest arrest adds to a series of drug-related cases involving TTMO personnel this year.

On March 16, a 39-year-old city traffic enforcer was arrested in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Camalig, Jaro.

Authorities seized about 60 grams of suspected shabu with an estimated street value of PHP 408,000 in that operation.

The TTMO is the Iloilo City Government office responsible for traffic enforcement and transportation management, making the arrests a concern for City Hall’s internal discipline and public trust efforts.