Lawmaker gets speeding ticket in Davao City

BAYAN Muna Partylist Representative Carlos Isagani T. Zarate got a ticket for overspeeding and now has to drive around with a Temporary Operator's Permit after a police officer confiscated his driver's license along McArthur Highway in Davao City around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Zarate, in a phone interview with Sun.Star Davao, said that he immediately surrendered his driver's license to a uniformed police officer whom he later knew to be Senior Police Officer 1 Mallonga as the officer hailed the car he was driving and showed him a speed gun marking a 54kph speed.

"While driving my car along McArthur Highway coming from downtown area where I bought some medicines that my elder sister requested me to buy, I was startled when a uniformed police officer suddenly waived me to stop," Zarate posted on his Facebook page adding that he was over speeding in a 40kph speed zone.

Zarate narrated that he was not minding his speed as it was already 11:30 p.m. and that he was already anxious to go home. When he reached Tulip drive he halted his car as the traffic light flickered red and when it finally sent a go signal, he sped up.

"I did not notice that there were traffic enforcers. [The officer] hailed my car and courteously approached me and showed me the speed gun and I handed out my license [to him]," Zarate said in the vernacular.

Some people questioned why he has to post the incident on Facebook to which Zarate explained that his point for posting it was realizing that it is an advantage if there are traffic enforcers even at night because it is usually during this time where accidents occur.

"[The] challenge is to implement the law as it is where there is no selective justice and to make sure that violators are sanctioned regardless of who they are," Zarate said.

Zarate also cited another reason for posting the said Facebook status and it is to show that here in Davao City, even a simple ordinance or law is being implemented.

The solon said that it has been proven that after the ordinance was passed in Davao City, the number of traffic accidents had decreased and this example had even been followed by other local government units.

He added that the attitude of the police must not be arrogant like the one who issued a TOP to him so that the people will understand, adding that there are instances where traffic enforcers tend to be arrogant in implementing the law.

Zarate's license was confiscated by the traffic enforcer and he has to pay yet for his corresponding penalty at the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Davao Region before he could claim his license.

During the early months of the implementation of the speed limits in January 2014, no less than former Mayor Sara Z. Duterte-Carpio was flagged down for going beyond the 40kph speed limit along Quimpo Boulevard. (Sunnex)

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