SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur — Allegations of repeated extortion or “kotong” activities by field officers of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) have once again come to light, following the arrest of nine personnel from the agency’s Caraga Regional Law Enforcement Section.
The suspects were caught in a coordinated entrapment operation conducted in Buenavista, Agusan del Norte — an incident that mirrors a similar case reported in Trento, Agusan del Sur just last year.
The latest development follows a complaint filed last November, wherein an LTO team leader assigned in Trento was accused of demanding grease money from a truck driver. That earlier complaint prompted the agency’s central leadership to issue a show‑cause order, but the recent arrests show that the problem persists. Confirmed by the Police Regional Office 13 (PRO13), the operation took place around 6:00 a.m. on June 18 at Purok 5, Barangay Alubijid, Buenavista, targeting alleged extortion activities targeting truckers and delivery vehicles passing through the national highway.
Authorities said the action was based on verified intelligence reports and carried out jointly by the LTO Task Force Central Office, police intelligence units, mobile forces, and the local municipal police station. Operatives caught the suspects red‑handed and recovered marked bills, various amounts of cash, communication devices, official apprehension forms, and other items believed to be part of the extortion scheme. One of those arrested also faces separate charges under Republic Act 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, after failing to present a valid Permit to Carry Firearm Outside of Residence.
All nine individuals are now in police custody as authorities prepare to file criminal complaints for graft and corruption, direct bribery, and robbery‑extortion before the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor. LTO Assistant Secretary Markus V. Lacanilao, who ordered the operation, reiterated the agency’s strict stance against wrongdoing. “There is no room for corruption in the LTO. Anyone who violates the law and betrays public trust will be held accountable administratively and criminally,” he stated, adding that administrative cases will also be filed and that the agency will fully cooperate with law enforcement to ensure legal process is followed.
PRO13 emphasized that such operations are part of sustained efforts to curb abuse of authority and corruption in public service. However, these successive incidents have also reignited public concern over recurring reports of extortion involving some field enforcement personnel in the region, despite prior investigations and warnings issued by agency officials.
