In addition to all the other stress factors related to driving in Metro Manila, people also have to look out for fake traffic enforcers.
“Jomar Ablay, a man who posed as a traffic enforcer landed in jail after a police official heading a traffic precinct in Quezon City caught him in the act of extorting money from a motorist,” reports Reinir Padua in The Philippine Star.
Inspector Raymund Layug, head of the Traffic Sector 1 of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD), was driving to work sometime around 9 am when he saw Ablay in uniform. At the time, Ablay was talking to Ryan Lorente and Armando Torres, who were in their vehicle at the corner of A. Bonifacio Street and C-3 Road.
Layug became suspicious, so he stopped and asked the “traffic enforcer” to remove his helmet. Lorente and Torres later revealed that Layug had apprehended them for smoke belching and had asked for PHP500 from them so he wouldn’t have to issue a traffic violation ticket. The amount was brought down to PHP200.
Ablay will be charged with extortion and usurpation of authority.
