TYPO ERROR?: City Hall names LTO official ‘Polinar’ as respondent in criminal, admin raps

By Jennifer P. Rendon

The Iloilo City Hall finally filed a complaint against a Land Transportation Office (LTO) official for habitual violation of traffic signals.

But the formal complaints named as respondent a certain LTO Region 6 (Iloilo) Director 1 Arturo Polinar despite news reports referring to Engr. Arturo R. Apolinar as the one accused by the Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (PSTMO) of flaunting traffic rules.

Criminal and administrative charges were filed with the Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for Visayas.

Atty. Edgar Gil, Iloilo City Legal Officer, signed the endorsement letter addressed to Deputy Ombudsman for Visayas Paul Elmer Clemente and dated Nov. 9, 2021.

Mayor Jerry Treñas stood as complainant against “Polinar.”

In endorsing the complaint, Gil stated that ‘based on available evidence, the person complained habitually (1) blatantly disregards existing traffic rules, and (2) abuses his authority as Director 1 of the LTO regional office. Given his propensity to abuse his position, it is only proper that while this complaint is being investigated, Director Polinar would also be preventively suspended.”

Aside from the Treñas’ affidavit-complaint, Gil also attached affidavits of the eyewitness and CCTV camera footages.

The incident stemmed when Apolinar, or Polinar, allegedly “beat the red light” in the morning of Oct 25, 2021 while he was on his way to the LTO office.

In his affidavit, Treñas highlighted that the respondent LTO official also committed the same offense thrice in the same month.

All violations happened along El 98 Street in Jaro district.

Apolinar was relieved from his post a day after he was allegedly caught violating a traffic rule.

Assistant Secretary and LTO chief Edgar Galvante issued Office Order No. 2021-234 dated Oct. 26, 2021, stating that, “in the best interest of the service, Mr. Arturo Apolinar, Director I, LTO Region VI, Iloilo City, is relieved of his present duties and responsibilities and is tasked to clear himself to his present accountabilities, effective immediately.”

A day after the incident, Treñas released a lengthy post denouncing government officials who do not follow traffic signs, “most especially if they work with the LTO which is called upon to execute national laws on traffic.”

He also urged LTO-6 regional director Eric Lenard Tabaldo to impose the necessary disciplinary action on Apolinar who is under the latter’s office.

Treñas scored Apolinar for not complying with the traffic rules, especially the red lights.

“He feels he is beyond the law,” he said.

Apolinar and personnel of the Iloilo City Public Safety and Transport Management Office (PSTMO) went at odds after the former allegedly violated a traffic rule.

Worse, traffic aides Fritz Michael Tacaisan, Gerald Enujado, and Anthony Bas claimed that Apolinar did not stop and made the enforcers follow him to his office at McArthur Highway in Jaro, Iloilo City.

They had to tail Apolinar to his office after he allegedly did not pull over. Instead, he instructed tailing motorcycle-riding traffic aides to follow him to his office.

Apolinar has earlier insisted that he made no violation.

He claimed that the green light was winding down to the last three seconds when he crossed the intersection line.

When the “yellow” light signaled, he was already in the middle of the road.

It was gathered that Apolinar came from his house in Barangay Tabucan, Mandurriao district and was on his way to the office when the incident happened.

If he ever did commit a violation and wanted to run off, Apolinar said he wouldn’t have travelled at his normal speed.

On why he didn’t stop when signaled to pull over, Apolinar said he wanted to meet them at his office where they could better talk things out.

He claimed that if he stopped on the road, the PSTMO personnel might have just let him go if they find out that he’s an LTO assistant regional director.

Further, if the PSTMO would like to file charges against him, Apolinar said he would answer them in the proper venue.