Jade Visions

May 27, 2008

“Pull over!” signaled the cop. 

“What the hell?” my brother said, looking perplexed. 

“Sir, you sped past a red light. Gimme your license.” 

“What red light?” 

“Don’t you see it? It’s there, on that pole.” 

The red light wasn’t there on days before today, and since it was camouflaged by the pole’s shape and color, it wasn’t very visible. 

Defending my brother, I said “He couldn’t have seen it. That’s not a very visible signal light now, is it?”

Voice trailing off , the police said, “Sir, there’s a sign indicating that a new signal light is installed there.”

I turned my head around and looked, but couldn’t find any sign, “Sign? Where’s this sign?”

The police fell silent.

I continued, “Also, what were you doing just loitering on the roadside when you knew that there’s a new signal light? Shouldn’t you be pointing it to all drivers instead of just hiding, and only appearing when the opportunity to confiscate our licenses comes?”

Again, the police fell silent, but he took away my brother’s license anyway and wouldn’t return it unless we pay him a hundred.

My brother unintentionally violated traffic laws. He’s honest about his oversights, yet his license got confiscated.

The police told lies yet he stayed as a police.

This is how our country’s justice works.

Posted by nightdreamer at 5:01 pm | permalink

Previous Comments

I had the same experience a few years ago. When I questioned the cop, he pulled his gun on me. I gave him my license and filed a complaint the following day. The ass was suspended for 6 months and I got my license back.

Posted by Schumey at May 28, 2008, 1:02 pm

My God. Pulled a gun on you? How grown-up!

So how did you file the complaint? How did you get his name?

Posted by nightdreamer at May 28, 2008, 1:04 pm

Uhmmm… WHAT JUSTICE SYSTEM?!

Posted by Ria Jose at May 29, 2008, 12:28 pm

It’s the vehicle you take when going to EK.

Posted by nightdreamer at May 29, 2008, 12:29 pm

These things make me proud of this country

Posted by J at May 29, 2008, 2:34 pm

Makati police charge a much higher lagay. usually.

Posted by cigarette-girl at May 30, 2008, 10:45 pm

@cigarette-girl Yes, they do. I have secondhand experiences.

Posted by nightdreamer at May 30, 2008, 10:54 pm

It’s so easy to idealize something - saying that “lagay” is bad and so forth, but if it happens to us personally, often times it’s also we who condone the practice.

Posted by Pity at June 12, 2008, 5:12 pm

Oh Snap! 3 yrs ago I paid 500 pesos.

Posted by Finch at July 1, 2008, 6:54 pm

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