BACOLOD City – The Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO) has called for the stricter enforcement of the city’s anti-barker ordinance.
City Ordinance (CO) No. 08-15-729 regulates the acts of procuring or soliciting passengers or would-be-passengers to any motorized passenger vehicle-for-hire on the streets, transport terminals and parking spaces within the territorial jurisdiction of Bacolod City and providing penalties for violation thereof.
Antonio Jose Robello, deputy head of BTAO, said it is high time to strictly implement the said ordinance, adding that he coordinated this to the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) since last month and the City Legal Office following the existence of many barkers on the streets and transport terminals.
Robello also mentioned about a viral video of a traffic enforcer who tried to punch a barker along B.S. Aquino Drive in Barangay 5 on Monday, February 3.
As of this writing, BTAO was still investigating the incident to determine what really transpired as the viral video showed only a part of the incident.
Meanwhile, a report showed that the said traffic enforcer reported to Police Station 2 after he was approached and threatened by the barker on B.S. Aquino Drive.
Police officers who responded to the scene recovered a bladed weapon from the barker.
Robello, meanwhile, said that the said traffic enforcer, a job order worker, was relieved from his post.
“We do not condoned violence because it is not acceptable to punch any individual unless it is for a self-defense,” he said./PN
