Filipinos are calling the attention of the Land Transportation Office and the Metro Manila Development Authority to sanction the driver of a vehicle that occupied four parking slots of an establishment.
Facebook user Phil Fernando claimed that he saw a black Hyundai vehicle parked in front of Amici Restaurant at Greenhills, San Juan.
Because the vehicle took up more than one parking slot, Fernando said he approached the security guard of the establishment.
He learned that the guard told its driver to fix the vehicle’s parking. The guard, however, was allegedly ignored.
In the comments section of the post, Fernando mentioned that the riders of the vehicle approached the guard when they got out of the establishment.
“They got out and asked the guard why I was taking pictures. He said again, ‘Paano naman ma’am, apat-apat ‘yung inokupa niyo (na parking). She replied, ‘Wala akong pakialam!’ before getting in and speeding off,” he narrated.
Filipinos were expectedly irked when they saw Fernando’s post but some noticed that a supposed physician’s emblem was attached on the vehicle’s license plate (NNI 688), making them speculate that the driver might be a doctor.
There were others who pointed out that non-physicians also display such emblems on their plates to purposefully avoid apprehensions when their vehicles are not supposed to be on road for a particular day under the number coding scheme.
Some immediately tagged the LTO and appealed for the driver’s license to be revoked.
“Calling LTO, please revoke her driver’s license to teach her a lesson!” a Facebook user wrote.
Others called the attention of the MMDA, who are tasked to tow illegally parked vehicles on public roads.
But it was in a private space where state enforcers have no direct jurisdiction over.
It is to be noted, however, that the vehicle in question was parked within a space in front of a commercial establishment considered private property.
Vehicles parked in spaces owned by commercial establishments cannot be immediately towed by the MMDA.
San Juan Barangay Councilor Lee de Leon said the management of the establishment should “make a formal request to the barangay to clamp vehicles.”
“We need their request or permission,” he added in the comments section in response to a Facebook user who called his attention on the matter.
De Leon said the manager of the restaurant was not around at that time.
Apparently, he went there when he was alerted of the situation.
“I alerted the clamping team, showed them (the) photo and they took down (the) vehicle details,” De Leon said.
Drivers are supposed to park their vehicles properly and in designated parking areas only. Otherwise, they might face sanctions for illegally occupying spaces. — Artwork by Interaksyon/Uela Altar-Badayos