Only the DILG can

It has been with a sense of helplessness and frustration that many of our readers have tried to call attention to the daily abuses that are committed by local government traffic deputies against motorists in Metro Manila.

Readers have particularly cursed some traffic officers of the City of Pasay, Parañaque and Makati for abusing their authority and setting up traps in specific parts of their jurisdiction. Unfortunately, none of the mayors seem to care about what happens under their noses.

So we are now forced to bring the matter to the attention of DILG Secretary Jess Robredo who we know to be more responsive and will hopefully haul off some corrupt asses in the afore mentioned cities.

Women drivers coming from the Mall of Asia and SMX convention center, are being targeted by Pasay traffic enforcers who stop them, tell them they committed a swerving violation or not taking the extreme right lane of Macapagal avenue as they turn right towards Buendia even if there are no other cars because it’s a Sunday.

What are these Pasay enforcers even doing on a Sunday when there is very little traffic in the area? To make matters worse, they bully women into a state of panic and fear while hiding their nameplates behind their jackets.

In a fit of anger, a lady doctor took a photo-image of the enforcer determined to load it on you-tube and send to columnists because the particular enforcer cursed and shouted at her mother-in-law.

Several motorists complain every month about the Pasay enforcers who camp out in threes or fours just like hillbilly cops waiting for the next victim. Unfortunately, with everyone watching out for speeding violations, no one in the national or local government has noticed or cared about the “Lolong enforcers” from the great city of Pasay. Does Mayor Calixto care to do anything about them or can we simply ask Secretary Jess Robredo to send his own team of law enforcers and investigators to capture those man-size alligators?

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 Secretary Robredo would also be doing motorists some justice if he called in Mayor Jun-Jun Binay to dismantle the man-made traps for motorists under the Guadalupe bridge as well as the ASBU (sados) traps and traffic nightmares that his enforcers create at the intersection of Kalayaan Avenue and C-5.

An interesting incident happened recently was posted on Facebook where a motorist was on the southbound lane on EDSA and had to make a U-turn under the Guadalupe bridge in order to go to the northbound lane. As many motorists know, there is always one car and one motorcycle unit of the Makati traffic enforcers regularly waiting to catch motorists under the bridge.

As it happened, the motorist was flagged down for violating the number coding system of the City of Makati. The driver explained that he was merely making the U-turn under the bridge and was not going into the city or nearby poblacion. The enforcer was about to issue a ticket but stopped when he learned that the driver was a working member of the motoring media.

Imagine, a multi-million peso infrastructure made useless because of a territorial claim!

This business of commercialized traffic law enforcement in Metro manila has clearly gotten out of hand and needs to be seriously corrected.

Why should local governments be allowed to have their own rules over and above those of the LTO and the DENR? We all know that these anti-smoke belching units are nothing more than rackets and money-making schemes of local politicians in the same way deputized tow trucks are.

Secretary Robredo should consult with the DOJ and try to bring this matter to the Supreme Court if necessary. Even NGOs and affected citizens or lawyers should raise the question. At the very least let your anger and protests be heard in media and on-line.

Incidentally, Secretary Robredo and Chief PNP Nic Bartolome should also find out how competent and informed the police are before undertaking acts of confiscations particularly with privately owned cars.

Car clubs and enthusiasts are now wondering about an incident where a privately owned vehicle (classic corvette) on board an official tow truck of the Automobile Association of the Philippines was accosted and confiscated by elements of the Highway patrol because the car did not have any license plate and because the tow truck driver did not have the car’s registration papers.

The car had just come from a well-known paint shop in Quezon City and as the usual practice, the owner took off the license plate so they won’t be stained or accidentally lost. The common thought is that if the car is literally “not on the road” it is not being used or in violation of traffic rules.

As a point of curiosity, I doubt if car thieves would enlist as members of the respected Automobile Association of the Philippines and then have the AAP car carrier load up a Chevy Corvette in broad daylight right on EDSA!

The Highway Patrol Group is and has always been vigilant about carnapping and we don’t fault them for stopping the vehicle. Unfortunately, the car was clean and in order, but it took an overnight stay and an additional whole day to get the classic car out of Camp Crame.

To the credit of the HPG the car was locked, secured and had no scratches or parts missing.

With Secretary De Lima expressing alarm over violent carnapping, we can only hope that she, along with Sec. Robredo and Gen. Bartolome will express an equal amount of concern for cars being confiscated for a night and a day simply on suspicion.

Between extortionist LGU enforcers and over zealous bureaucratic cops, people are slowly but surely beginning to feel like perennial victims and are about ready to fight back. Sooner than later, that will happen.

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