MMDA sues errant bus personnel

The top official of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) warned on Monday that he would “apply the full force of the law” against motorists who harassed or bribed the agency’s traffic constables.

MMDA officer in charge and general manager Tim Orbos issued the warning after announcing that charges had been filed against three bus drivers and a conductor either for bribery or assault upon a person of authority.

He said that the agency was also considering recommending to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board the suspension of the concerned bus firms’ franchise.

Orbos said that at 7 a.m. on Monday, MMDA traffic constable Richard Morales was mauled by Lucky 7 Jayross bus driver Dick Soriano and conductor Gilbert Gonzales.

This was after he flagged down Soriano’s bus (TXJ 438) for violating the MMDA’s closeddoor policy on the northbound lane of Edsa-Pasay City.

When the traffic enforcer handed the traffic violation ticket to the conductor, an irate Soriano alighted from the bus and confronted him.

After an argument, the bus driver jabbed the enforcer in the chest with the ticket. Gonzales, on the other hand, joined the fray and punched the traffic constable.

Orbos said that the bus driver and conductor fled although they were later apprehended on Edsa-Ortigas while their bus was taken to the MMDA’s impounding center in Barangay Tumana, Marikina City.

The pair is currently detained in the Pasay police station and facing charges of physical injury and assault upon a person in authority.

The incident happened just a day after two bus drivers tried to bribe two MMDA traffic constables in Makati City.

According to Orbos, the alleged bribery attempt was reported by Primo Santillana who said that at 6:45 a.m. on Sunday, he accosted DLTB Co. bus driver Francis Armada for straying outside the designated bus lanes on Edsa-Buendia northbound.

The MMDA personnel claimed that Armada tried to give him a P100 bribe. The fine for the traffic violation costs P200.

Shortly before 7 p.m., a similar incident was reported by traffic constable Michael Correa also on Edsa.

This time, Nova bus driver Raul Li was caught disregarding traffic signs. When asked to present his driver’s license, Li reportedly tried to bribe Correa  but the latter refused.

Orbos said that the two bus drivers had been charged with bribery, an offense punishable by a minimum of six months in prison.

He added that while they continued to cleanse their ranks of scalawags, the public should support their campaign of eradicating corruption by not offering bribes.

According to Orbos, they will also stand by their employees who do honest work.