Mayor doubles down on noisy muffler crackdown

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas on Thursday doubled down on his order to strictly penalize motorists using modified mufflers (tambucho), by ordering local enforcers to implement the ordinance in all seven districts.

In a text message, the mayor confirmed that he had “immediately approved” recommendations from the Philippine National Police to implement City Regulation Ordinance (CRO) No. 2017-087.

The mayor also stated in another text message to Daily Guardian that he wanted it to be implemented in all districts.

The recommendations he approved include a decibel meter to be issued by the Iloilo City Police Office’s (ICPO) Traffic Enforcement Unit (TEU) to Police Stations 1 to 6 for use in checkpoint operations during day and night times, and issuance to the TEU of citation tickets from the Transportation Management and Traffic Regulation Office (TMTRO) to be used on violators.

The TMTRO will be the lead office to implement the ordinance, while the ICPO will provide full support, with the option of joint operations.

The ICPO will depend on the TMTRO’s actual operations as to the sustainability of the implementation.

In addition, Treñas also instructed the TMTRO’s parent office, the Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (PSTMO), and the Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO) to conduct inspections of stores selling the mufflers.

Establishments found to be selling them will be closed upon the mayor’s orders.

The ordinance, an amendment of CRO No. 2017-071, prohibits the sale, installation, and use of modified mufflers in all public and private motor vehicles plying within Iloilo City.

“Modified mufflers” under the ordinance refer to changes to the vehicle’s original or factory mufflers with the kind that produces excessive and irritating sounds.

First offenders are meted a P1,000 fine, while second offenders with a P3,000 fine, with confiscation of driver’s licenses accompanying both offenses.

The third offense warrants a P5,000 fine and the removal and confiscation of the muffler or open pipe which produces the sound, together with the confiscation of the driver’s license, and a possibility of imprisonment between 3 to 6 months at the discretion of the courts.

In addition, flagged violators who refuse to stop when cited by traffic enforcers would be charged a P1,000 fine, in addition to the original 1^st or 2^nd offense.

The clamping down against modified mufflers was one of the first calls made by the mayor in the new year, calling for the confiscation and destruction of these mufflers on January 1, citing public disturbances.