Thursday, July 05, 2007 Mayor to cabbies: Display your IDs
DAVAO City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte Wednesday ordered taxicab drivers to display their identification cards prominently effective Thursday. Violators will be charged immediately.
These were the mayor's instructions to the police Wednesday as he turned over 12 new vehicles intended to increase the mobility of law enforcers.
"Paraha ninyo kung makit-an ninyo nga walay ID nakasabit. Ayaw mo ug kahadlok (Stop them if you notice that the taxi drivers are not displaying their IDs. Don't be afraid to do that)," Duterte said adding he has received reports that conmen masquerading as taxi drivers have been victimizing both locals and tourists in the past weeks.
"Ang uban ani nila, gina-holdup pa ang mga pasahero tapos 'pag nahuli, tinatakot pa ang mga pulis na kakasuhan (Some rob their passengers and when caught threaten the policemen that they will be sued). The policemen naman na dili gusto nga makasuhan (who doesn't want the hassle of a lawsuit), they bargain the law and let the perpetrators go," Duterte said.
Thus, the mayor starting Thursday ordered the implementation of the transportation guideline which requires drivers to display their ID's facing the passengers and to wear proper attire so that they can easily be identified should they cause grief to the passengers.
"Ang mga pulis pud, dapat dili mo mahadlok (Policemen shouldn't be afraid) because what you are doing is in performance of your duty. Kung hadlukon mo na kasuhan, sagdi lang. Basta naa mo sa tama (If they threaten to sue you, let them. For as long as you are doing right), I will even provide a lawyer for you," Duterte said.
The mayor warned the criminals to stop or answer to him personally.
"At the end of the day, they would have to deal with me," Duterte said adding he is only doing this to protect the economic efforts of the city, which can be interrupted should peace and order be threatened. (GLP)
