‘Overzealous’ traffic enforcers hit

Saying they were tired of being turned into milking cows by traffic enforcers who wanted to make a little more money on the side, members of a jeepney transport group went on strike on Monday in Manila to prod the city government to address the problem.

As early as 4 a.m., members of the Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (Fejodap) stopped plying their routes and gathered at Plaza Moriones in Tondo to protest against members of the Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau (MTPB).

In particular, they accused MTPB personnel of stepping up their apprehension of jeepney drivers even without basis, at times demanding money from them in exchange for letting them off the hook.

Around 4,000 passenger jeepney drivers plying the Malabon, Navotas, Gasak, Dagat-dagatan, Velasquez, Moriones, Quiapo, Sampaloc and Blumentritt routes joined the strike.

“We believe that the traffic violations slapped on jeepney drivers, especially among our members, are unreasonable because traffic enforcers want to reach their quota of 10 violations a day,” Fejodap president Zenaida Maranan said.

This was backed up by Fejodap vice president Reynaldo Santos who told the Inquirer that MTPB personnel receive a 10 percent commission for every traffic citation ticket they issue.

“For example, a jeepney driver is caught obstructing traffic which is the most common violation in Metro Manila. He is fined P500 and P100 of that will go to the apprehending officer,” Santos said, implying that traffic apprehensions were becoming more frequent because traffic enforcers wanted to earn some extra money.

Contacted by the Inquirer, MTPB chief Carter Logica confirmed the 10 percent commission but brushed aside the allegation that this was leading to the indiscriminate apprehension of jeepney drivers.

“Our traffic enforcers make sure that every apprehension has a basis. If there are traffic violators, it is just natural for us to give them tickets,” Logica said in a phone interview.

He also clarified that MTPB personnel do not have a quota to meet. “Those are just rumors. We do not have a quota policy in our bureau,” he said as he expressed his willingness to hold a dialogue with Fejodap.

“We can talk about their concerns and meet halfway. We both want an orderly transport system here in Manila,” Logica said.

On the other hand, Manila traffic czar Vice Mayor Isko Moreno went to Moriones Plaza and met with Fejodap officers and members although Santos said they were not able to discuss their concerns with him.

“He wanted us to write down our grievances and then submit these to his office,” Santos told the Inquirer.

He said they had expected Moreno to at least invite them to his office for a dialogue.

Moreno, meanwhile, stressed that he was merely cracking down on undisciplined jeepney drivers as he reiterated that traffic enforcers were wary of engaging in extortion because of the “one strike policy” of Mayor Joseph Estrada.

He said numerous police officers had been fired as a result of this policy.

Fejodap officers were set to meet later in the day to decide whether or not to continue their strike-protest until Tuesday.

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