If you chanced upon some corrupt or abusive officers of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), don’t feel helpless. There is something you can do.
Here are some tips from a forwarded email entitled “What to do about abusive MMDA officers.” The email started circulating in December last year but the things mentioned here are useful even at this time.
Manila Standard columnist Bong Austero confirmed that the author of the email indeed interviewed Mr. Antonio Pagulayan, MMDA Personnel Officer, and that the advice given here is legal and valid.
If you’re a driver and usually chance upon some abusive MMDA officers, here’s for you.
* * * * * * * * * *
I just reached my limit last weekend, and decided to take action against the abusive MMDA enforcers. I basically called up the MMDA head office and inquired from the personnel officer, Antonio Pagulayan, to clarify their policies. Here is what I got.
If any of these abuses seem familiar to you, Mr. Pagulayan has asked that you call either the MMDA hotline (136) or call the METRO BASE at 0920-938-9861 or 0920-938-9875 and ask for an inspectorate. They will send inspectors to the place where these MMDA officers are extorting, even while you are arguing out of your apprehension.
- MMDA officers are not allowed to group together in order to apprehend. They are not even allowed to stand together in groups of two or more. The only time they are allowed to work together is for special operations (probably when they apprehend groups of buses for smoke belching).
- Swerving IS NOT a traffic violation. Moving one lane to the left or right is not swerving, no matter where on the road you do it. And it is even less of a violation when you do it with a signal. Swerving is defined as shifting two or more lanes very quickly. So you can argue your way out of this, and call the Metro Base for help.
- Sadly, using the yellow lane is a traffic violation and will get you a ticket. However, buses are really not allowed to go out of the yellow lane, so if you see selective apprehension of private cars only, you may complain.
- MMDA has confirmed that YOUR LICENSE MAY NOT BE CONFISCATED at a traffic apprehension. The only time they can do so is if you are part of an accident, or it is your third violation and you have not settled your fines yet. They are only allowed to give you a ticket, which you can contest. He recommends actually receiving the ticket in some instances, so that you can report the officer who did it.
- Also, you are free to ask any of these officers for their “mission order,†which is written by their supervisor. If they apprehend you for a violation that is not in their mission order for the day, you can report them and they will receive disciplinary action.â€
mga putangina nyong lahat mga ulul kayo
kelan p pinagbawal na bumaba sa tapat ng overpass ng reliance mandaluyong hah!!! mga peste kayo
kaya nga may overpass e dahil tawiran
mga putangina nyo namimili kasi kayo ng huhuthutan ng pera mga tarantado kayo mga inutil!!!
e.g. ang bus n sinasakyan ko hndi ako ibinaba sa reliance overpass ng mandaluyong dahil nga daw huhuliin sila ng mga MMDA nyong inutil kayo san ako bababa sa crossing putang ina nyo tlga!!!!
after that naglalakad na ko papuntang reliance nakita ko ang isang bus nagbababa ng pasahero howcome binantayan ko pag abante nya at pagdating sa mga pwesto ng mga animal n MMDA nyo mga ulul kayo tlga bakit hindi naman pala hinuhuli, e samantalang nagtanong ako sa isang MMDA na tanga sa pinagbbaan ko kung nanghuhuli ba ang SABI nya “OO”
ang tanong baket kelangan pagbawalan e overpass nga iyon e mga putang ina nyo tlga mga utak ipis mga wala kayong pinagaralan mga talamak sa pera!!!!
ang isa pa kung nanghuhuli nga BAKET!!!!! baket ha mga puta kayo!!!!
OVERPASS yun OVERPASS mga TANGA kayo!!!!!
ayusin nyo trabaho nyo mga kaululan nyo@!!!!!
oo nga korek ka jan mga t a n g a
tlga mga gagong yan!!!
OVERPASS NGA e!!! bket bawal bumaba mga wala lang kasing magawa at mahuli ang mga yan kaya kung san nila maisipan tumambay para kumita gagawin nila yan ba ang mga traffic enforcer na matitino para narin kayong mga pulis o mas matindi pa!!!! tandaan nyo yan makakarating to sa mataas at ng mapahiya kayo ayos ayusin nyo mga galaw nyo ha mga utak IPIS!!!!
Hayy..Mga uneducated people talaga oh. BAWAL talaga mag BABA sa mga OVERPASS TANGA!! kaya nga may nakatalagang mga BUS STOP eh para dun tumigil ang mga BUS!. hayy kung sabagay di pa siguro kayo nakaka labas ng bansa kaya di nyo alam ang BUS STOP. haayyy mag isip naman kayo PLEASE LANG??!!!.
mmda, sobrang bulok ng systema. putangina impyerno pa sa bayaran ng fines, kaya napipilitan lahat ng tao maglagay