Wednesday, September 03, 2008 Speak out: Towing of motorcycles in the city By Adrian Muana
(This is an open letter to the Cebu City Council)
It seems that Citom is exerting an all out effort to impound offending motorcycles.
I laud the effort but I wish traffic enforcers exercise diligence and prudence.
On the afternoon of Aug. 21, 2008, I had some photocopying to be done across the University of San Carlos main building.
Not finding a suitable pay parking area for motorcycles, I took a risk and parked the vehicle at a seldom used side road.
While at an establishment, I was informed that a Citom officer was in the process of writing a citation to a motorcycle.
I rushed out to find a female Citom traffic enforcer writing a citation ticket for the parking violation I committed.
I begged for leniency from her but she wouldn’t have any of it.
She then handed me the citation ticket without much ado.
At that moment, two persons from Road Warriors Towing and Motor Services, a towing service contractor for Citom, proceeded, in my presence, to remove my motorcycle from its location and load it on their truck.
Later that afternoon, I went to the Citom office to settle my obligation.
I paid a total of P1,600 of which only P100 went to the City of Cebu and P1,500 went to the towing contractor.
I feel that the impounding of my motorcycle was not justified since I was present at the time and I was actually able to receive the citation ticket for my parking violation from the traffic enforcer.
Is there a law or city ordinance that says if you are cited for a parking violation, your vehicle automatically gets impounded?
I believe their action was tantamount to carnapping.
I also feel that the P1,500 towing fee collected on impounded motorcycles is superfluous.
There must be a rational manner by which they set their towing rates.
Meanwhile, Citom is charging the same parking fee for cars and motorcycles when a motorcycle occupies so little space compared to a car.
Here’s my imaginary income projection:
One truck can impound 10 motorcycles.
Let’s say that each truck can make four trips in one day or 40 a motorcycles day.
Let’s say they have two trucks for this purpose.
That’s 80 a motorcycles day.
Imaginary daily income earned for 80 motorcycles per day with two trucks: Road Warriors Towing and Motor Services at P1,500 per motorcycle--P120,000.
Citom at P100 per motorcycle--P8,000.
If Road Warriors operates for five days a week, that’s P600,000 a week, P2,400,000 a month, P28,800,000 per year.
Citom would earn P40,000 a week, P160,000 a month or P1,920,000 a year.
Hypothetically, it seems that towing for Citom is a very lucrative business.
In behalf of all the motorcycle owners who share this regrettable and expensive experience, I implore you, the Ladies and Gentlemen of the City Council, to give this matter your fair and impartial scrutiny.
