EARLIER this week, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte announced he had ordered traffic enforcers to temporarily stop apprehension of traffic violators in the city as he has been receiving complaints of extortion.
He said apprehension for traffic violators will only resume when traffic personnel wear their appropriate identification cards (IDs) to be distributed soon by the city through the City Planning and Development Office (CPDO).
Agencies in the city that are mandated to implement traffic rules are the Davao City Land Transportation Office and the Traffic Group. Other agencies enforcing the speed limit include the Davao City Traffic and Transport Management Office, Philippine National Police and Highway Patrol.
For now, enforcers from these agencies are limited to only manning traffic and are restricted from issuing temporary operator’s permits and confiscating the licenses of violators.
True enough, with the city known for its strict implementation of traffic ordinances, IDs will really be of great help in lessening the incidents of enforcers who are taking advantage of violators.
Just like the distribution of IDs to vendors who attended the food safety seminar in the city as a measure to protect Dabawenyos from food poisoning, these IDs will help protect the motorists from abusive enforcers as this will be a tool for them to easily identify the officer and at the same time oblige officers to do their part as well.
Once the ID rule suggested by the Mayor is implemented, it will be easier to report future acts of extortion. Drivers can just take a snapshot using his mobile phone or record a video maybe if faced with an “extortionist” apprehending officer.
But on a brighter note, wearing of IDs can also help the general public in identifying those enforcers who are exuding their best practices while manning traffic on the busy streets of the metropolis.