P400 puts MMDA men’s jobs in peril

AN LTO ENFORCER flags down a pickup without a license plate on Edsa in Cubao, Quezon City, on the first day of the implementation of the agency’s “no plate, no travel” policy. Violators face up to P10,000 in fines on top of the impounding of their vehicles. LEO M. SABANGAN II

For extorting P400 from a motorist, two traffic constables of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) are facing the prospect of losing their job.

Wilfredo Banting and Jomar Carbonel said they received P200 each from a still unidentified driver whom they accosted for entering a one-way street in San Juan City on Tuesday, according to Manuel Gonzales, deputy chief of the MMDA Security Investigation and Intelligence Office.

Gonzales said the pair made the admission when they reported to MMDA General Manager Tim Orbos at the MMDA headquarters on Wednesday.

Banting and Carbonel said they asked the driver for a bribe in exchange for not issuing him a ticket. A concerned citizen, however, took pictures of the incident and reported it to authorities, Gonzales added.

The two traffic constables refused to comment when they were interviewed by reporters.

Banting and Carbonel, who have been with the MMDA for  20 years and 2 years respectively, were under investigation for the filing of administrative charges and face dismissal from the service, Gonzales added.  Both, however, continued to report for work.

According to Gonzales, they needed to verify the complaint first since there were instances of criminals pretending to be MMDA traffic constables in order to extort money from motorists. –Dexter Cabalza