Last Friday morning (around 1am) we finished an o.r. (which started 5pm of Thursday). My boss decided to treat us (there were 4 of us) to dinner in Binondo.
Upon reaching the Quaipo bridge. There is a checkpoint. But this one is different. They are stopping all vehicles asking them to open doors and see the license of the drivers. The policemen were all wearing their blue collared t-shirts with no form of visible identification. There was a checkpoint sign.
When I handed my license, the policeman noted that it had expired. Stupid me, it was my PRC ID that didn't need renewal yet and I forgot to renew this one. So I apologized, told him that we had just finished a very long O.R. and I'll just have someone else relieve me from the driver's seat. And if need be, just give me a ticket.
But the policeman claimed that driving with an expired license is the same as driving without a license. Is this true? From my point of view, if my license expired (Professional with restriction 236) then I still held a license whose validity has just lapsed. As opposed to someone who has never attempted nor qualified for a license.
On top of that the policeman wanted to arrest me on the spot! He claimed that I am subject to criminal arrest because my license has expired.
And he then proceeded to insinuate that we had firearms on board the vehicle! Where the hell did that come from?
My boss tried to talk to the apprehending officer but the officer insisted that I be arrested.
Quite tired from the o.r. and the 'negotiations' that were happening, my boss simply introduced himself (he is an ally of the current city administration).
Needless to say the cop backed off immediately (lest he wants to lose his job).
I already got my license renewed this morning.
Ganun ba talaga? They will not issue you a ticket or citation if you happen to have an expired license? They will just arrest you on the spot? I know I had a violation, I'm just clarifying if what the cops were doing were correct.
Btw, this is the same police station that last year tried to 'store' the recovered cellphone that was stolen from a co-worker of mine. They tried to claim it as 'evidence' and that it has to stay with them for the duration of the case. I had to make some quick calls to Crame before they released the phone. In as much as I don't like to throw any weight around, sometimes you have to assert yourself to these kind of policemen.



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Driven To Thrill!

Hopeless talaga.
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