FOR not wearing a prescribed helmet, Freddie Teopez, 32, thought it was enough for him to just pay a fine of P1,500.
But Teopez and co-worker Jackson Cañete got more than they bargained for, when deputized members of the Cebu City Traffic Operations Management (Citom) allegedly rammed their towing truck against Teopez’s motorcycle early yesterday morning outside the Fuente Osmeña rotunda.
A man identified as the team leader of the arresting personnel then allegedly came out from the truck and started kicking and beating Teopez, in front of several witnesses, including Cañete.
The team leader was later identified as Glencel Arnaiz, a member of One Stop Towing Service, a company deputized by Citom.
A witness alleged that Arnaiz then took Teopez’s white scooter and had it impounded, then drove off. A Citom operative was present during Teopez’s ordeal, the witness added.
The witness, along with Cañete, brought Teopez to the Chong Hua Hospital, before they reported the incident to the police.
Teopez’s family, along with his employers, said they plan to file a case against Arnaiz.
Representatives of One Stop Towing Services refused to comment on the matter.
Riding a white Honda scooter, Teopez and Cañete were on their way to Barangay Camputhaw at 1:20 a.m. yesterday, when a truck belonging to One Stop Towing Services suddenly chased them on Escario St.
Within the truck was Arnaiz, a Citom operative known only by his last name Arriola, and more than 10 men riding at the back.
Cañete, in an interview with Sun.Star Cebu, admitted that both of them were not wearing helmets and intended to outrun the truck.
Once they reached Fuente Osmeña, however, the truck immediately overtook the motorcycle then suddenly bumped them towards the sidewalk.
As the two men were lying on the sidewalk, bystanders came to check on them. Teopez was bloodied from the head down, while Cañete was unscathed.
It was then that Arnaiz allegedly attacked Teopez, kicking and beating him.
A witness (name withheld for security reasons) approached them and asked what violation the two men committed, and Arnaiz answered that the two men had no helmets on.
The witness, in an interview, said he was shocked when he heard what Arnaiz said, because he thought that Teopez and Cañete were thieves.
“Abi gyud nako nga snatcher sila, kay gikulata man sila (I thought they were snatchers, the way he was beating them up),” said the witness.
The witness added that the Citom operative did nothing to stop Arnaiz, and just sat inside the cockpit of the truck.
The witness alleged that Arnaiz then took Teopez’s motorcycle along with his keys, and then sped off on the tow truck.
Larry Chiu, owner of a water refilling service in Banawa, and Teopez’s boss, said in an interview with Sun.Star Cebu, that on behalf of the victim’s family, they plan to file charges of physical injuries against Arnaiz.
Chiu said that Teopez sustained massive injuries on his skull and a fracture on his left arm, for which he will be operated on today.
Investigators at the Cebu City Traffic Division said the incident was just a simple case of a “no helmet” violation.
According to the report, Arnaiz and Citom operative Arriola were conducting a roving patrol on Escario St. when they caught Teopez and Cañete riding without helmets.
Both men decided to arrest the two, but Teopez and Cañete allegedly refused to pull over and, instead, said lewd words against Arnaiz.
The report continued that as they passed a curve in the Fuente Osmeña rotunda, Arnaiz drove the truck towards the side, almost bumping Teopez’s motorcycle in the process.
The report, however, admitted the two men were hurt in the process of their apprehension.
This was not the first time that One Stop Towing Services was involved in a controversy.
Just recently, One Stop Towing Services was involved in an alleged confrontation with Barangay Tinago Councilor Joel Garganera, whom they accused of stealing the memory card of their digital camera last month.
Garganera denied the charge, saying he only confronted a One Stop Towing Services team for erroneously enforcing the rules against illegal parking. He also said the company’s fee-sharing scheme was “grossly disadvantageous” to City Hall.
Cebuano Version:
GIBANGGAAN ang usa ka motorsiklo sa usa ka truck sa One Stop Towing Company ug gipatidpatiran pa ang nalambang drayber niini sa usa ka team leader sa towing company.
Nahitabo kini sa Fuente Rotunda sa Fuente Osmeña, siyudad sa Sugbo, pasado ala una kagahapon sa kaadlawon.
Ang drayber sa motorsiklo (plate number 7TC-I-034) mao si Fredie Amor Teopiz, 32, taga sityo Lomboy, Banawa, Barangay Guadalupe, siyudad sa Sugbo.
Nakaangkon sa grabeng bun-og ug samad sa lawas si Amor. Usa ka ambulansya sa Chong Hua Hospital maoy nikuha sa biktima.
Hinuon, ang backrider sa motorsiklo nga si Jackson Cañete way naangkon nga kadaot sa lawas.
Gitumbok sa mga saksi nga nikulata sa biktima mao ang usa ka Glancel Arnaiz, giingong team leader sa One Stop Towing Company, sakay sa truck (plate number JCC-724).
Uban ni Arnaiz sulod sa sakyanan mao si Traffic Enforcer Clyde Ariola ug ang drayber sa towing truck nga si Handy Cabajar ug truck helper nga si Gerald Boyo.
Atol sa hitabo, ang mga tawo sa Fuente lakip ang daghang drayber sa taxi buot nang mohamag sa mga kawani sa towing company tungod sa kalagot nga nagtan-aw sa biktima nga gipatidpatiran pa.
Daghang niboluntaryo sa pagsaksi.
Usa sa mga saksi nga mao si Tony Zapata, taga dakbayan sa Sugbo, nipadayag sa ilang kalagot ug kaluoy sa biktima sa interbyu sa Sun.Star Superbalita atol sa hitabo.
“Bisan pa og duna silay traffic violations, di unta kulatahon.
Nadisgrasya na gud to kay ilang gibanggaan, dad-on una sa ospital… Sila baya ang awtoridad,” matod ni Zapata.
“Towing man to sila, mura na sad sila og pulis…,” sumala sa laing saksi nga si Dodong (nagpatago sa iyang ngan).
Sa kalagot sa mga tawo, ningsunod ang mga boluntaryong saksi sa police station sa Fuente.
Sa imbestigasyon nga gihimo ni PO3 Achilles Cañete sa Fuente police nasayran nga nagdagan ang motorsiklo ni Teopiz subay sa dan Escario ug nag-backride si Cañete.
Nasugatan sila sa towing truck nga gisakyan ni Arnaiz ug giabisuhan sila sa paghunong tungod kay niadtong higayona wa sila mag-helmet.
Subay sa alegasyon ni Arnaiz, imbes mohunong si Teopiz, nagbinastos na hinuon kini pinaagi sa pagpakita sa iyang tudlo nga “f… you sign.”
Apan, gihimakak kini sa mga biktima.
Dason sa alegasyon, mao kini ang hinungdan sa ilang ginukdanay.
Sila si Teopiz nisubay sa dan Escario, lahos sa Gorordo avenue ug nisulod sa F. Sotto drive bisan “one way.”
Nilapos kini paingon sa Queens Road, Redemptorist ug nilahos paingon sa Mango avenue.
Nisulod kini sa usa ka gamay nga dalan sa usa ka mall, dayon nigawas sa Ramos st., dayon nipaingon sa Fuente Rotunda.
Matod pa sa aligasyon ni Cañete, backrider sa motorsiklo, nga gituyo pagbangga sa towing truck ang ilang gisakyan nga motorsiklo hangtod nga sila natumba.
Laing motorista nga nahalabay sa dapit, nagpaila nga si Loreto Anthony Jr., taga B. Rodriguez, niingon nga iyang nakita si Arnaiz nga nikuha sa iyang resibo ug gihapos pa sa nawong ni Teopiz.
Wa pa kini matagbaw, gipatidpatiran ang biktima ug gisumbag sa makadaghan nga higayon.
Human nawagtangani sa iyang panimuot si Teopiz, gidala kini sa iyang kauban sa tambalanan, samtang sila si Arnaiz nagpa-blotter sa kapulisan sa Fuente.
Atol sa ilang pagpa-blotter sa pulis, wa kini moangkon nga adunay gikulata apan nipahibawo lang nga aduna silay gidakop nga nituyo pagbangga sa iyang gisakyan nga towing truck.
Gipaabot sa kapolisan sa Fuente nga mopasaka og sumbong si Teopiz batok kang Arnaiz.
By: Rolando R. Morallo
Justin K. Vestil
Sun Star Cebu
Citom aides ‘maul’ 2 men (Gi Gukod, Gidaro ug Gikulata)
Originally Posted by penigabz
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