DAGUPAN CITY — The city government of Dagupan has collected a record amount of PHP6,071,922.50 in just six months from June to November this year for citation tickets issued by its Public Order and Safety Office (POSO) to traffic violators and motorcycle riders not wearing crash helmets.
This was bared by Carlito Ocampo, POSO chief, in a radio interview on Wednesday.
Ocampo said the monthly collection of the city government from traffic violators alone averages PHP1 million a month.
He said motorists issued citation tickets for traffic obstruction pay PHP200 each to the One-Stop Shop Center at city hall, while motorcycle riders not wearing crash helmet are fined the maximum penalty of PHP1,500.
Ocampo said POSO traffic enforcers had no authority to confiscate licenses of erring drivers. They are only allowed to issue citation tickets.
But he said motorists must not ignore the citation ticket because if they fail to settle their corresponding fines, POSO will report their names to the city legal office which shall then file a case in court against the erring drivers, who will soon receive a subpoena from the court. If they fail to appear, they may be ultimately issued a warrant of arrest.
Ocampo, a retired policeman, said that citation tickets result in grave consequences for the erring drivers than just having their licenses confiscated, so they willingly pay their fines.
He said that if a case is filed in court against a person, it would automatically form part of his record in the files of the National Bureau of Investigation and would weigh on when he gets his NBI clearance.
Ocampo keeps on telling leaders and members of various transport groups the more serious effect of the issuance of citation tickets over the non-confiscation of driver’s license by POSO enforcers.
He told motorists that in order to avoid paying fines they should diligently observe all traffic laws of the city. (Ahicam D. Pasion/PNA)
