It is unusual to see a police officer driving a tricycle on the road, but that was what happened in Baler, Aurora province, after police stopped a drunk tricycle driver on January 2, 2026.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) said in a statement on Tuesday that two police officers from the Baler Municipal Police Station noticed a tricycle moving slowly along the road.
When Police Staff Sergeant Alvin I. De Guzman and Police Chief Master Sergeant Geoffrey A. Bolante checked on the driver, they found that he was intoxicated.
Instead of issuing a ticket or making an arrest, PCMS Bolante took over the tricycle and drove it himself to bring the driver home safely to Sitio Tabon in Barangay Buhangin.
The PNP explained that the incident shows that police work is not only about enforcing the law but also about preventing harm and keeping people safe.
“Ang layunin natin ay hindi lamang parusahan ang nagkakamali kundi tiyakin na ligtas pauwi ang bawat mamamayan,” said PNP Acting Chief Police Lieutenant General Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr.
“Kahit simpleng pagtulong, malaking bagay ito sa buhay at kaligtasan ng tao,” he added.
Nartatez reminded the public that driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is illegal under Republic Act No. 10586, or the Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013. Violators may face fines from ₱20,000 to ₱80,000 and up to three months in jail.
Heavier penalties apply if drunk driving leads to injury or death, including fines of up to ₱500,000, possible imprisonment, and suspension or revocation of a driver’s license.
