Contesting MMDA traffic violation tickets
Thursday
Oct 22, 2009
MMDA deploys an army of blue-clad so-called traffic enforcers all over the metro and I hate them as much as I hate their “MMDA Labs You” tarpaulin banners which is a lot.
Motorists like me have learned to steer clear of these boys in blue. They seem to serve absolutely no other purpose than to hand out tickets to motorists erring or not. And they only seem to be around when the number coding scheme is in effect or during merienda time, otherwise they magically disappear.
Given our history of red tape, one of the most irritating things that a driver can experience on the road is to be apprehended by traffic cops and enforcers. For one, some of their charges are oftentimes absurd interpretations of traffic laws. As for MMDA traffic enforcers, I had more than one nasty encounter with them.
Here’s one instance. I was driving in one of the crazier areas of Quezon City (somewhere in the south triangle) and since I am not too familiar with the area and forgot my city atlas (a must-have for motorists) so I decided to pull over (carefully, signal lights and all) and ask one of them. I haven’t even rolled down my window when he whipped out his ticket book and started writing stuff on it. With my window down, I was then greeted with a smug, “Ser, lisensya niyo.”
It already took great humility in part as a manly man to ask for directions and the fellow returns my courtesy with a traffic ticket. In the days of old, I would have contented myself slapping that person’s face with my gloves and challenge him to a duel. But then again, those were the days of horse and buggy and traffic enforcers would’ve been more than pointless.
It’s a good thing that these MMDA boys get more than befuddled by a stream of polysyllabic words in English that he simply waved me off. And I never even got directions. Had I not been lucky that day, I would’ve gotten a juicy ticket. Rather than incovenience myself with contesting tickets with their so-called Traffic Adjudication Board, I would’ve paid. Because here’s what you have to go through to contest a citation:
- File a written complaint with the TAB
- Secure verification and clearance from data division to clear you from existing tickets
- Hearing officer schedules hearing and both motorist and enforcer are summoned
- Both parties are heard in the hearing
- Protest to be decided through resolution
- Head of TAB reviews and approves the resolution
- If citation is upheld, motorist deals with the fine/sanction
Here’s a video to boot.
It’s nice to see that there’s a venue to contest such charges but easily that’s at least a couple of workdays lost if you decide to go through with it. And time is more than a luxury for the working Filipino. I have yet to meet someone who has gone through the process and succeeded.
On another instance, I got a ticket for “illegal parking.” Know that pink line along sidewalks? Apparently, they’d slap you with a violation even if only an inch of your bumper encroaches the pretty pink line. That time, there was no reasoning with the enforcer since the ticket was just left pinned under my windshield wiper. I just dropped by a Metrobank branch and paid the ticket. I just kept the payment stub and a photocopy for future reference.
Anyway, my point is, if there’s one thing that these enforcers should do is to direct traffic first, watch out for violators second. But I guess that’s why Mr. Fernando elected to call them “enforcers” and not “aides”.
Tough lab.
Image credit: MMDA
Comments
work at home dad
October 22nd, 2009 at 3:59 am
Back in 2004 I got one of those tickets. I paid via Metrobank branch but guess what. When I renewed my license just last year 2008, LTO said I need to clear my tickets with MMDA.
I needed to go to MMDA in Edsa very early in the morning, waiting in line for a couple of hours just to find out that their records did not show any payment of a lone violation that happened back in 2004. They asked for a receipt but of course, what will you do with a 5 year old receipt? Most probably I already threw it away.
So to keep the story short, the only way to clear my records is to pay for the same violation the second time.
They don’t even have systems in place to ensure that all payments to metrobank have been entered on their system.
Bulok talaga! Sayang sa oras.
J. Angelo
October 23rd, 2009 at 2:38 am
I guess that’s why bribery is rampant. People would rather just pay their way off than go through hoops to settle a violation. I got a ticket once, stuck to my winsdhield wiper (Lucius is right–seems they ticket you even if your car sticks out the pink line a few inches). Paid at Metrobank a few days after. Problem solved. I was irked at first, but I took it as a lesson. And I was quite happy that they now give you the convenience of paying at any Metrobank branch.
Now the bad thing about this is that the parking attendants at the place my car got the ticket (Katipunan Avenue) were removing the tickets from parked cars. This way, owners will not realize they have a violation ticket until it’s too late! That day, I didn’t give the parking attendants any tip. I was irked enough that I got a ticket. But what annoyed me even more is that the attendants were getting motorists into even more trouble by hiding the tickets (presumably so they will still get tipped).
Andre Marcelo-Tanner
October 22nd, 2009 at 4:06 am
I heard on the radio that the rules are they can only ticket you if they saw the actual violation?
J. Angelo
October 23rd, 2009 at 2:40 am
I think so, yes. But you know how some policemen will invent their own rules just to squeeze a few pesos out of you. I hear they get a share of violation receipts (although I’m not sure), but it’s only a small fraction of the price. So whether you bribe them or pay through the legal channels, they still get money out of apprehensions.
Lucius
October 25th, 2009 at 11:07 pm
Ever heard of those phantom MMDA tickets issued to you that only seem to pop up when registering your vehicle or renewing your license? Was afraid I’d get one of those. Well, you can check out if your plate of license has any flags by texting:
LTO VEHICLE [plate number, no spaces]
or
LTO LICENSE [license number, no spaces or dashes]
and send to 2600.
Costs you Php 2.50, I think.
roscel caranza
October 26th, 2009 at 7:26 am
now a days these mmda traffic enforcer are only bound to enforce traffick ticket and not to help motorist, they dont give a dammed, i called them ticket maniacs to tell you i got two tickets one is for lane violation in edsa going to east ave. entering puj,pub lane,you got to used binoculars to see the private lane were you were supposed to enter this 2004 i have this ticket until now, and i hate to pay for this one . the other is just recently, color coding just ten meters away from the bounderies of pasig and cainta going floodway, as if you are playing basketball a line violation call from a reff.what a consideration from men in blue of pasig.
grace
November 14th, 2009 at 6:12 am
do you need to bring your license when you pay the illegal parking ticket in metrobank? need reply asap.. thanks!
Alex
November 16th, 2009 at 8:46 am
Nope. You don’t need to bring your license though you might have to jot down you license number if the ticket has your name. Chances are the ticket would be c/o your car/plate number.
mina
November 24th, 2009 at 7:09 am
im going to one of those hearings tomorrow. it’s my first time to go through such thing — any tips? my boss told me to just keep my cool. hah. my license got confiscated for a counterflow violation — but i decided to contest since there was no “no entry” signs on the street (exchange road, from meralco ave, going to san miguel ave). told the ‘deputized’ dude ill just settle it at metrobank, but he said it’s a major violation and they need to confiscate my license. bad trip!