Strangest MMDA officer
By pehpot
@pehpot (4762)
Philippines
October 11, 2008 8:59am CST
Last weekend we run some errand for my sister. She asked us to pick up some things in Las Pinas, and then deliver it to them in Nueva Ecija. From Las Pinas, we go through Roxas Boulevard to Manila then to C3. We are not very familiar with Manila roads, we have been there 4 times and we were lost 3 times. This time we are aiming for Padre Burgos road but we missed it. We were looking for a U turn and saw a turn, but it says no U turn. We saw that a motorcycle turned, and made a U turn, and so my hubby just followed the motorcycle, thinking it was OK to have a U turn there. To our shocked, an officer asks us to stop. He asks for my hubby’s driver’s license, and said that we violated traffic rules. He was telling the officer that, he just followed the motorcycle that made a U turn. Knowing my hubby who easily got irate with this kind of situation, I was hoping he will just take this coolly. Oh Well, I am glad he did, he was asking the officer if they can just talk about it (where in Ninoy do the talking). The officer asked him what is it he that he wants, or how can they settle it. My hubby says if it is alright if he will just let us pass. Strangely the officer said OK and smiled. He just let us pass without extorting money from us. And as me and hubby were talking about what just happened, we concluded that there were still straight officers on the road.
5 people like this
9 responses
@savypat (20216)
• United States
11 Oct 08
This was a very interesting discussion for us who don't live in your country. It's always interesting to learn how day to day life differs from one place to another. Usually in the US if you have an out of state license you know you are going to have to pay a fine. Bribes to officers here are not allowed and they
can get fired if it's proven they took one. But bribes in the form of fines to
out of state folks are just fine for the city or state that they are stopped in.
It's know that most people can't go back there to fight the ticket in court. The courts are so busy that the ticket may not come up for trial for several months.
When tickets come to trial most of the time you can beat it if you can afford to go to court. Most just pay the fine through the mail.
2 people like this
@rsa101 (37968)
• Philippines
12 Oct 08
That is a very disciplined police officers you have in there. In here the police is so much rigged with corrupt police that in almost every street there is one that are just there to extort money from violators they caught. Well one reason behind is they have a very low salary that is why they tend to be tempted doing it to their violators. Instead of disciplining the violators they allow them to go scot free without suffering the consequence. Well of course there are still good cops left in spite of everything but you can just count them as they are few.
1 person likes this
@mimico (3617)
• Philippines
12 Oct 08
Well you're very lucky then! I've never been let off the hook by an officer without giving him some "merienda" money. I used to give a lot of money but now I give less. Times are hard so they can't be very pushy. It's strange that the officer didn't try to stop the motorcycle though..MAybe they were accomplices?
1 person likes this
@kun2349 (23381)
• Singapore
11 Oct 08
That's lucky for your husband ^_^ It's rare to find straight police officers in these days and times when corruption are so widely recognized.. Though your husband is in the wrong to make an illegal u-turn, but still the officer did his job, and thta he's willing to give chance ^_^
As for the motorcycle b4 your hubby, i guess the officer din see him making a u-turn, thus he stop your hubby instead.. haha ^_^
1 person likes this
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
13 Oct 08
Oh how lucky could you be. That MMDA Officer is one of a kind! Most of them if not all would extort money at any given chance. Good that you encountered a non-corrupt one. Yes, it shows that not all MMDA officers are bad bananas. I've always pictured them and the police as well as road menace because they always would want to extort money from drivers. Well I am happy that there is one who is not and I hope he is not alone!
@mayettefacun1962 (15)
• United States
11 Oct 08
wow,,, wonderful your very lucky he did not gave you a ticket for that dangerous turn. here no way heheheh, they will give you ticket for that because that is very very dangerous turn here specially if they running 65 or 55 .i'm so lucky i've never encounter that yet hehehhe.good luck next time .be careful guys,,,
1 person likes this
@red_amethyst (3518)
• Philippines
12 Oct 08
hi pehpot. wow that mmda officer is strange indeed. :D he didnt ask for money. maybe he is just new. hahaha. but before we also experience that in ortigas. i wasn't wearing a helmet, only my husband. my hubby did the talking and good thing he let us pass, or else we are late for work. hahaha
1 person likes this
lucky us for our hubby
@andak2007 (3229)
• Philippines
12 Oct 08
good evening friend!
lucky for you that you passed up that officer without the ninoy in his hands...i know that there are so many corrupt police officers in this country of ours it just reflects the kind of government that we have. I like to see exposed police officer caught in the act of bribery i watch Mike Enriquez show every saturday and dah..grabeh talaga! ang kapal ng mga mukha.
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
12 Oct 08
u were lucky especially since there was a sign there saying no u turns.
@migsmartinez (1293)
• Philippines
12 Oct 08
That is strange. You're really lucky not to get fined or to get extorted. So I guess he's just a straight forward kinda guy. He asked what you guys wanted and you said he wanted to pass and he just let you pass. That's really strange. Just be careful next time hahaha
