Cainta enforcer gets axed over extortion

Cainta, Rizal Mayor Keith Nieto announced Friday he has fired a traffic enforcer after the employee was caught extorting money from a motorist accused of a traffic violation.

The termination followed a social media complaint that Nieto encountered Friday morning.

“I came across a post today complaining that one of our enforcers was extorting money,” Nieto said.

The motorist who reported the incident posted on Facebook that an enforcer had stopped him for swerving and threatened a P2,500 fine payable at the municipal office.

The enforcer then allegedly offered to waive the ticket if the motorist paid P500 on the spot.

Nieto immediately summoned Constancio Daga Jr., the officer in charge of One Cainta Town Security.

“The enforcer admitted it, claiming he asked for P500 but was given P250,” the mayor said. “I ordered the termination of the enforcer right away. We will not be respected if we do not act properly.”

Daga later sent a letter to the mayor, dated 21 November, formally requesting the enforcer’s termination for serious violation of departmental and organizational policies.

The city’s Traffic Department had received and verified reports of the alleged extortion on 20 November and a preliminary inquiry found sufficient basis to confirm the enforcer’s actions constituted gross misconduct and a breach of ethical standards.