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The trash from your past may literally hold you back.
“For not settling his PHP500 fine with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) for an anti-littering case two years ago, a seaman named Raul Samson who was bound for Singapore was recently stopped by immigration officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) earlier this month,” reports Mike Frialde in The Philippine Star.
Samson ended up missing his flight.
According to the MMDA, Samson was apprehended last Apr 25, 2013 for throwing a cigarette butt at the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) EDSA-Guadalupe station. He was subsequently charged for violating Republic Act 9003 or the Solid Waste Management Act before the Makati Metropolitan Trial Court (MTC) for failing to settle his fine within the prescribed period.
The report noted: “A litterbug apprehended by the MMDA is given three days, from the time of his apprehension, to pay a fine of PHP500 to PHP1,000 or to render community service for a maximum of 16 hours. Should the litterbug fail to do either penalty within three days, the MMDA will file a case before the court.”
In Samson’s case, Makati MTC Branch 67 Judge Jackie Crisologo Saguisag eventually issued a warrant for Samson’s arrest on Oct 8, 2014. However, he failed to appear in court for his arraignment.
MMDA senior health program officer Rose Blay later said that Samson was given clearance to leave the country after he finally paid his littering fine at the MMDA office in Makati City.
The MMDA then informed the Makati court that it would no longer pursue the case against Samson.
Photo: MorgueFile
