TTMO tells drivers to pay tickets, not offer cash

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

ILOILO CITY — The Traffic and Transportation Management Office (TTMO) urged motorists flagged down for traffic violations to face the penalties instead of offering traffic enforcers money, food, or other favors to avoid a ticket.

Rolando Hollero, chief of operations of the TTMO Enforcement Clearing Team, said motorists who offer cash, gifts, or favors such as meals or pamahaw (breakfast) could give enforcers an opening for extortion.

“Please to our motorists, do not get used to giving things to our traffic enforcers,” Hollero said on Oct. 1.

Hollero said some motorists immediately offer money or other favors after being flagged down.

“What happens is, once they are called or flagged down for a certain violation, they immediately make an offer. We discourage the offering of food or whatever because, on the part of our traffic enforcers, you know how small their wages are. The temptation is really there. That is where the modus starts,” he said.

He said motorists should instead accept the citation and settle the corresponding penalty.

“We encourage motorists that if you are flagged down, just face your violation because the penalties for violations under our city ordinances is not that expensive,” Hollero said.

TTMO data showed the office has filed 58 cases in court for various traffic violations.

The cases include operating a colorum, or unfranchised, vehicle; violating perimeter boundary restrictions; and violating Regulation Ordinance No. 2008-393.

The ordinance penalizes motorists who disregard traffic signals, hand signals from traffic enforcers, traffic signs, and road markings, including pedestrian lanes.

TTMO head Uldarico Garbanzos said motorists have an obligation to settle their violations once cited.

He said some motorists had become accustomed to not settling violations after the office stopped routinely confiscating driver’s licenses.

“They got used to the idea that we no longer confiscate driver’s licenses, so others no longer settle their violations. But now our digital records are updated, and if you are apprehended and you have four or more pending citation tickets that have not been settled, you have to pay those,” he said.

He said cases involving violations of city regulatory ordinances have a two-month prescriptive period, or deadline for filing.

Cases not filed within that period may no longer proceed in court but will remain in TTMO records, he said.

If the period lapses and the motorist is later apprehended for another violation, TTMO will still require payment of the outstanding penalties, he said.

Garbanzos said motorists with multiple unsettled violations would be prioritized when TTMO files cases in court.

 

Apprehensions rise

TTMO records showed the office recorded 17,403 traffic apprehensions in 2025.

The figure rose to 23,805 in the first seven months of 2026 alone, nearly 37 percent higher than the 2025 total.

At least 484 TTMO employees have faced administrative cases since July 2025.

Of the 484, 32 were terminated, 87 were suspended, and nine were reprimanded and required to undergo refresher training.

The disciplinary cases included absenteeism, absence without official leave, failure to report for duty, extortion, and bribery.

Garbanzos said the office would continue to hold its personnel accountable for misconduct.

“We want our personnel to follow the ethical doctrine and standards based on the civil service rules. All misdemeanors and misconduct will be acted upon. We have zero tolerance,” he said.