Stiffer penalty for illegal parking pushed

CEBU - Should a proposed amendment to the city’s traffic ordinance be approved, fines for illegally parked vehicles will already be P3,000 compared to the present fine of P100.

The city council has already advised concerned parties to submit their position papers to the proposed amendment authored by councilor Raul Alcoseba, chairman of the council’s committee on traffic management.

Alcoseba had argued that the P100 fine is already insignificant, as it has become too cheap to serve as deterrent to abusive drivers.

“It is imperative to impose stiffer penalty, including the towing of any violating vehicle in order to curb practices of wanton and blatant indiscriminate parking of motor vehicles which is counter-productive to the city and contributing largely to the menacing traffic congestion problem,” Alcoseba said.

Violators who opt not to be criminally prosecuted may pay a voluntary fine of P500 but the option can be availed only once.

However, if the complaint has already been filed and docketed before the court and the accused decides to amicably settle the case, he will be fined P2,000 but only before the court issues its judgment.

The proposed amendment to the Traffic Code also provides that any person who will intervene in the functions of the traffic enforcers will be prosecuted.

Several traffic enforcers reported that there are times when prominent individuals intervene for the release of illegally-parked vehicles that are already subject to towing. – Rene U. Borromeo/JMO (THE FREEMAN)