For those who don't know yet, I collect driving violations like collecting stamps. This is a remarkable story, I just have to share this.
Week before Christmas I got a traffic violation for beating the red light in North Harbor. The traffic light there is crazy. It goes green for like two seconds and at that time when you're halfway it goes yellow then the traffic officer stops you. I hate it. I got yielded by the officer. I thought of running off - no use, they are now equipped with motorcycles. The Manila police came by the window asking for my driver's license. Knowing the usual way they would bargain to just give a little for them to let you go, I told him just cut the crap (no, I didn't really say word for word) and just give me a ticket. I was hot-tempered, feeling stupid again because I got the ticket again. Fine: P2,000.00, like I would just fling my wallet and there it was.
December 26. I went to Manila City Hall to pay the fine and get my license. As I stood at the back of the line, a Manila police approached me and asked for my ticket. He told me I will be fined for P2,000 for reckless driving, which I already knew, and that he could get it for me on a 'discount'. He didn't gave me time to butt in, I followed him to the processing office. And as he explained what that 'discount' meant, I told him I can't do that because I'm a pastor and I'm willing to pay the fine. After that, he stopped bugging me and referred me to a young guy named DJ. DJ checked on my license and to our surprise my license hasn't been turned over yet. He told me to have my ticket extended and just come back in a few days.
January 3, Wednesday, coding day. Took the LRT to City Hall. Another fixer took my ticket into the office hoping for a profit. By the window I saw the guy talking to DJ and from their conversation it seemed like DJ told the guy what I do, so after that he left us. DJ told me my ticket wasn't in yet. I let him know that I was very concerned. He knew and was pretty concerned also. He told me that the officer who took my license looked like he extended his holiday. In an effort to help me retrieve my license. He offered to take his motorcycle and go to the site to pick up the ticket. He asked me to wait for 15 minutes, which was really 45 minutes. He came back without it. Then he got a tip that the guy was in another place so he went off again. All-in-all I was there for two hours listening to the loudspeakers. He didn't find it. So apologetically he asked me to come back the next day and perhaps the guy would finally surrender the licenses to their office.
January 4. Before going to the City Hall I dropped my mom and bro to go to clinic for a check-up. As I pass through the same road where I was first yielded, then the worse happened. I got halted by a yellow light, exactly the same as before. Another officer stopped me. I thought of running off again. But I just can't. I handed him a violation ticket to his surprise. And asked me if I am willing to pay P4,000 for total violations. Now that is crazy. And I was boiling hot. The guy got some. I was really angry at myself for being really stupid. I just wanted to explode. I pleaded mercy, since it was new year perhaps he could shower me a little kindness. Didn't work. He gave me another option, 'settle it' and he'd scratch the fresh violation. I told him I can't, "boss, pastor po ako." He left and went to his superior. I started to pray.
The sarjento came and repeated the same thing. I told him if I got my license way back on time I wouldn't be driving here and be caught again. He learned that I am from Caloocan and confided that he was a Caloocan boy also. He told me we could settle this, I told him I can't bribe. He raised his voice at me as if insulted and said that he's not talking about bribing him and he just wanted to help me settle this in City Hall. I cleared the passenger seat and told him I am willing to go with him to City Hall if he was willing to help me get my license back. I thought so, going with me to City Hall was too hassle for him. He asked for the car's registration papers. He asked for identification of my ministry work and it was true. He left and asked the first guy to settle the issue.
The first police came back and tried to settle it for the last time. He will let me go but again I need to settle the former penalty in the City Hall with him. This puzzled me. But nevertheless, I unlocked the door as a gesture that I am willing to drive us there. Just like his superior he wasn't really willing. For him I was hopeless. Then he told me that the police who first yielded me was with them and he called him. As officer Fernando came I smiled and told him I (and DJ) have been looking for him for the past weeks. He confirmed that he was on vacation. And for the nth time he asked for identification. As he reached in his shirt pocket he pulled out a stack of driver's licenses. And there was mine, worn out and moldy. I was like, what's my license still doing with you? He handed it to me. I asked, "what does this mean?" "If I learned that you're pastor I would have let you off. You're okay now, just drive carefully next time." It haven't sunk in at that time and I said, "God bless you, officer" and drove away wondering what just had happened. No fine, no bribe, yes license.
Wow. I'm still baffled. I mean it wasn't like I'm totally out of fault, but these are the times when I would ask God, "Are you in this?"
Week before Christmas I got a traffic violation for beating the red light in North Harbor. The traffic light there is crazy. It goes green for like two seconds and at that time when you're halfway it goes yellow then the traffic officer stops you. I hate it. I got yielded by the officer. I thought of running off - no use, they are now equipped with motorcycles. The Manila police came by the window asking for my driver's license. Knowing the usual way they would bargain to just give a little for them to let you go, I told him just cut the crap (no, I didn't really say word for word) and just give me a ticket. I was hot-tempered, feeling stupid again because I got the ticket again. Fine: P2,000.00, like I would just fling my wallet and there it was.
December 26. I went to Manila City Hall to pay the fine and get my license. As I stood at the back of the line, a Manila police approached me and asked for my ticket. He told me I will be fined for P2,000 for reckless driving, which I already knew, and that he could get it for me on a 'discount'. He didn't gave me time to butt in, I followed him to the processing office. And as he explained what that 'discount' meant, I told him I can't do that because I'm a pastor and I'm willing to pay the fine. After that, he stopped bugging me and referred me to a young guy named DJ. DJ checked on my license and to our surprise my license hasn't been turned over yet. He told me to have my ticket extended and just come back in a few days.
January 3, Wednesday, coding day. Took the LRT to City Hall. Another fixer took my ticket into the office hoping for a profit. By the window I saw the guy talking to DJ and from their conversation it seemed like DJ told the guy what I do, so after that he left us. DJ told me my ticket wasn't in yet. I let him know that I was very concerned. He knew and was pretty concerned also. He told me that the officer who took my license looked like he extended his holiday. In an effort to help me retrieve my license. He offered to take his motorcycle and go to the site to pick up the ticket. He asked me to wait for 15 minutes, which was really 45 minutes. He came back without it. Then he got a tip that the guy was in another place so he went off again. All-in-all I was there for two hours listening to the loudspeakers. He didn't find it. So apologetically he asked me to come back the next day and perhaps the guy would finally surrender the licenses to their office.
January 4. Before going to the City Hall I dropped my mom and bro to go to clinic for a check-up. As I pass through the same road where I was first yielded, then the worse happened. I got halted by a yellow light, exactly the same as before. Another officer stopped me. I thought of running off again. But I just can't. I handed him a violation ticket to his surprise. And asked me if I am willing to pay P4,000 for total violations. Now that is crazy. And I was boiling hot. The guy got some. I was really angry at myself for being really stupid. I just wanted to explode. I pleaded mercy, since it was new year perhaps he could shower me a little kindness. Didn't work. He gave me another option, 'settle it' and he'd scratch the fresh violation. I told him I can't, "boss, pastor po ako." He left and went to his superior. I started to pray.
The sarjento came and repeated the same thing. I told him if I got my license way back on time I wouldn't be driving here and be caught again. He learned that I am from Caloocan and confided that he was a Caloocan boy also. He told me we could settle this, I told him I can't bribe. He raised his voice at me as if insulted and said that he's not talking about bribing him and he just wanted to help me settle this in City Hall. I cleared the passenger seat and told him I am willing to go with him to City Hall if he was willing to help me get my license back. I thought so, going with me to City Hall was too hassle for him. He asked for the car's registration papers. He asked for identification of my ministry work and it was true. He left and asked the first guy to settle the issue.
The first police came back and tried to settle it for the last time. He will let me go but again I need to settle the former penalty in the City Hall with him. This puzzled me. But nevertheless, I unlocked the door as a gesture that I am willing to drive us there. Just like his superior he wasn't really willing. For him I was hopeless. Then he told me that the police who first yielded me was with them and he called him. As officer Fernando came I smiled and told him I (and DJ) have been looking for him for the past weeks. He confirmed that he was on vacation. And for the nth time he asked for identification. As he reached in his shirt pocket he pulled out a stack of driver's licenses. And there was mine, worn out and moldy. I was like, what's my license still doing with you? He handed it to me. I asked, "what does this mean?" "If I learned that you're pastor I would have let you off. You're okay now, just drive carefully next time." It haven't sunk in at that time and I said, "God bless you, officer" and drove away wondering what just had happened. No fine, no bribe, yes license.
Wow. I'm still baffled. I mean it wasn't like I'm totally out of fault, but these are the times when I would ask God, "Are you in this?"
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