What five-minute rule?

Egay Uy .

THERE is no five-minute rule.  An illegally parked motor vehicle may be towed by traffic authorities immediately – as in right there and then without even waiting for the driver to show up.  The five minutes “grace period,” if you will, is to give the driver the opportunity to show up and move the vehicle, thus avoiding the cost of towing in addition to the basic fine for illegal parking.

The incident involving the lady prosecutor from the Department of Justice, and later his husband who joined the fray – arrogantly at that, may be regarded as one example how motorists behave in our country.

Some motorists use their position in government to avoid being issued a citation ticket. Others rely on their connections with big ones to parry the ticket while some others simply display arrogance and sometimes even flash firearms to intimidate traffic law enforcers. Believe me, I’ve been there.

The five-minute drama that found its way on social media reminded me of a lawyer who challenged the actions of two local traffic enforcers who clamped his car because it was parked on the pedestrian crossing.

He brought his case before me when I was with the traffic office, at the city legal office, and at the city prosecutor’s office. As the head then of the traffic office, I accompanied the traffic enforcers at the legal office and argued against the complainant’s tirades.

He said the enforcers were lying as if he had the monopoly of the truth. Yes, I told him that flatly because of his insistence that the traffic enforces were lying.

A simple traffic law violation which could have been over after the traffic citation ticket was issued bcause the lawyer-driver admitted his violation for parking on the pedestrian lane but he was against the issuance of the ticket.

At any rate, I believe the complaint that was filed at the city prosecutor’s office was dismissed. I will not be surprised if the other complaints he filed will face the same result because clearly, the matter was merely a blown up simple traffic violation apprehension.

What the Metro Manila Development Authority did to the five-minute motorist placed the lady prosecutor where she rightfully belongs. It was a simple case of illegal parking which could have been over had she shown her driver’s license to the traffic enforcers so a traffic citation ticket could be issued. Now, she is reportedly facing cases filed by the MMDA which could include disbarment.

I repeat: there is no five-minute rule.