Go ahead, catch erring MMDA men on video

MANILA, Philippines—Right after he ordered the suspension of a traffic constable caught on video receiving bribes from bus conductors, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chair Francis Tolentino urged the public on Thursday to take videos of any MMDA personnel involved in illegal activities and upload the footage on the Metro Solusyon website.

“I am encouraging motorists and the general public as well to use video cameras to record and document perceived illegal or unlawful activities by our employees or by anybody to help attain a disciplined society, and also for evidentiary purposes,” Tolentino said.

Tolentino stressed that he would not tolerate any of his men’s involvement in illegal activities as he urged the public to capture their activities on video and upload the clip on the agency’s Metro Solusyon website (www.metrosolusyon.mmda.gov.ph.).

“The public can report complaints or incidents involving MMDA employees, laud or commend a good deed done by MMDA personnel through the website,” the agency said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the MMDA has been criticized by the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) and Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in the past few days for its policy of encouraging its personnel to videotape motorists who violate traffic regulations after one of its traffic constables, Jorbe Adriatico, accused a Maserati-driving businessman, Joseph Russel Ingco, of punching him last month.

According to Adriatico, Ingco became angry when he saw that the traffic constable was videotaping his movements, including his earlier attempt to make an illegal U-turn at the corner of Araneta and Quezon Avenues.

Privacy violation

The VACC said the policy was a violation of a person’s privacy since the footage may be used by criminals, including kidnappers, scouting for victims.

The CHR, meanwhile, expressed concern over the policy, saying it should first be studied.

Tolentino, however, said the videos taken by its personnel serve the same purpose as those captured by closed-circuit television cameras.

He also stressed that under the MMDA’s rules on the use of video cameras, there should be “a causal relationship between the event being recorded and the perceived traffic violation.”

In addition, the video recording should not be intrusive and used only as evidence against the party involved. The motorist can also ask for a copy of the footage, according to the MMDA. –With report by Maricar B. Brizuela