Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) handed down a 30-day suspension to 3 of their traffic constables. The announcement was made by Chairman, Ret. Gen. Danny Lim, through his official social media page. The 3 officers were caught on social media backriding, which is a violation of the government's social distancing protocols. They have been placed under a 30-day preventive suspension.
The three MMDA enforcers, all of whom have violated social distancing protocols by pillion riding or having a pillion rider were caught on social media. The first two were riding together and were photographed in the corner of EDSA and Timog Avenue in Quezon City. The third traffic constable was caught along Commonwealth Avenue with his daughter as pillion, riding an official government motorcycle.
“Ayon sa statement ng mga enforcers, naganap ang mga insidente sa huling linggo ng April. Dahil sa kanilang klarong paglabag sa polisiyang sila mismo ang dapat nag-eenforce, sinuspende sila sa trabaho ng MMDA (According to the statement of the enforcers, the incidents happened during the last week of April. Because of their clear violation of the policy they should be enforcing, they are hereby temporarily suspended from their duty as MMDA [personnel]).
The MMDA chairman also added that, on top of the 30-day preventive suspension, all three traffic enforcers were issued a traffic violation ticket and fined PhP5,000 each. Their agency-issued motorcycles were confiscated.
“Dagdag pa rito, binigyan din ang bawat enforcer ng traffic violation ticket na may P5,000 fine. Binawi rin ang motorsiklo ng enforcer na inisyu sa kanya ng ahensiya.”
The MMDA came under fire from netizens when a social media post showing the officers violating the no backride rule went viral. The post came on the heels of news of a rider who was caught for violating the no backriding policy. He was bringing his sister-in-law to work, who was a medical frontliner at one of the hospitals in Quezon City. Due to the lack of a government shuttle for frontliners in their area, he was forced to risk taking her and violating the law.
Along the way, they were flagged down by the MMDA enforcers and he was fined PhP5,000 for violation of social distancing protocols. Shortly afterward, the post claims, they were allowed to proceed since they "were already fined” anyway. The MMDA launched an investigation into the incident.
The MMDA chairman has also encouraged netizens to report any misdeeds of their personnel by calling their hotline, 136, or trunkline, (02) 8882-4151 up to 77 so that they can respond and investigate as quickly as possible.
