MMDA Acting Chairman Atty. Don Artes hands over a P10,000 reward to a concerned citizen who exposed the identity of a man accused of posing as an MMDA traffic constable. MMDA PHOTO
By Jaimes R. C. Sumbilon A concerned citizen who identified a man accused of impersonating a traffic enforcer of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and extorting money from a motorist visited the MMDA office in Pasig City on Friday.
MMDA Acting Chairman Atty. Don Artes personally awarded the citizen a reward of P10,000 as a gesture of gratitude. The reward was provided directly by the MMDA chief.
The MMDA is now preparing to file charges against the man who pretended to be a traffic constable of the agency.
Artes urged anyone who has fallen victim to this bogus enforcer to step forward and contact the MMDA to submit an affidavit of complaint, aiming to bolster the case against the perpetrator.
Last week, a video posted by the Visor Facebook page went viral, detailing an incident where an anonymous motorist and reported being stopped by the bogus MMDA officer while driving along Arnaiz corner Osmeña Highway.
The impostor enforcer alleged that the motorist ran a red light and demanded a P2,000 fine, which could be negotiated if paid promptly.
Upon reviewing dashcam footage to dispute the accusation, the motorist observed that the enforcer's motorcycle lacked a license plate and the individual was not in MMDA uniform.
This prompted him to record the encounter and request identification from the "enforcer," who responded with, "Bawal po sa amin yan (That's not allowed for us)."
The bogus enforcer ultimately retracted the violation and letting him off with a warning.