TOOLS AGAINST MMDA OFFICERS

Following was forwarded to me by my sister. Hope it helps. . . My comments are in italics.


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.

wow, and how fast can they send anyone? Does this mean we should argue with the MMDA officers until their inspector arrives?

1. MMDA officers are not allowed to group together in order to apprehend. They are not even allowed to stand together in groups of 2 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).

I've seen buses belching smoke but have never seen any apprehended. And heavens, MMDA officers are often in twos.

2. 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 2 or more lanes very quickly. So you can argue your way out of this, and call the Metro Base for help.


And MMDA encourages swerving by positioning the broken lines which indicate where cars may penetrate the yellow lane -- a no-no safety-wise according to a cousin who enters the yellow lane way before the broken lines and doesn't care if he'll be apprehended. He'd rather be alive, he said. Swerving is dangerous to life and limb, he said, and he's willing to deliver his piece before the judge if need be. So far he hasn't been apprehended.
3.

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.

Really, buses aren't allowed to leave the yellow lane? So why aren't they apprehended as they weave through the various lanes in EDSA? Remember how fearful I was as I watched my son drive to Makati? The buses were just about everywhere. Where they apprehended? NO. But we saw MMDA people apprehending a car, we always do. Why are car drivers such hapless and perpetual victims of the MMDA?

4. 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.

So go out and enjoy! :)