Skewed priorities of CITOM

Complaints have mounted against the towing companies most especially after allegations that personnel of a towing firm mauled a motorcycle rider, who failed to wear a helmet.

Since that story came out, several others have cropped up against the towing firms and the latest was the one aired by an engineer, who went to The Freeman to narrate the horror story that he experienced.

We have long received complaints about towing most especially the implementation of the ordinance banning overnight parking. The reason is that there seems to be a selective implementation of the laws.

While we do not condone violation of traffic laws and support the authorities in their efforts to rid our streets of abusive drivers and illegally parked vehicles, we also want to see fairness in the implementation of the laws.

While the CITOM and the towing companies are so eager to tow vehicles parked on streets where traffic is not so busy late at night, the traffic authorities continue to turn a blind eye on the taxicabs parked along Juana Osmeña St. and Gen. Maxilom Ave. late at night, which cause traffic congestion.

The CITOM’s priorities are so skewed that the people in Cebu City are already confused.

There was a time when the traffic law enforcers were a group of people that many people had a high regard for. That high regard is nowhere to be found now.

If CITOM wants more income, it can generate such by apprehending drivers who violate traffic laws more seriously, but then they seem to chicken to do that and would rather tow vehicles parked at night.

One reader once complained about how the CITOM enforcers seem so eager to implement traffic laws at night on Clavano St., but are never there in the morning when there are many vehicles that cause congestion.

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There have also been many complaints about motorcycles being hauled off by the towing companies because they are illegally parked.

The law is good but the way it is implemented doesn’t seem to sound very right. 

During our visit to Taipei a couple of months ago, we also saw many motorcycles all over their city, but the drivers follow the lanes that have been designated for them. They park on the proper places and the scooters that are lined up on the sidewalk in fact look very nice.

Here in Cebu, we see motorcycle drivers who cut into lanes, we see them go the opposite direction, overload their vehicles and refuse to wear helmets.

These law breakers are probably the same people who are crying injustice that their motorbikes have been removed from the streets since they were illegally parked.

As a city there is still much to be done in Cebu to make it better, but then it doesn’t only take strict law enforcement, but also disciplined drivers.

If you can’t follow laws, then stop complaining when you are apprehended.

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For your comments complaints and suggestions please feel free to contact us at 2531276 or 2538613 local 237.

You can also send email to [email protected].