The city police office has justified its crackdown against slipper-wearing motorists, insisting that wearing flip flops while driving a motorcycle is against national law.
P/Maj. Alevic Rentino, chief of police of the Puerto Princesa City Police Office – Station 2, in an interview with Palawan News on Tuesday, said the violation is in line with Republic Act (RA) 4136, or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code of the Philippines and was spelled out through an Administrative Order (AO) AHS-2008-015 issued by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) on May 15, 2008.
Based on the LTO order, violators may be imposed with a fine of P500 for the first offense, P700 for the second offense, and P1,000 for the third offense.
A netizen’s post went viral last week after he was apprehended, and was issued a P500 citation ticket for driving his motorcycle wearing flip flops along a major city road.
Rentino said the police officer who issued the violation ticket was left with no choice but to use a “Temporary Operator’s Permit” (TOP) since the violation is not included in a regular citation ticket.
After drawing flak online, officials from the Puerto Princesa Anti-Crime Task Force (ACFT) and other City Hall officials clarified that there is no city ordinance imposing such prohibitions.
The local law, City Ordinance No. 927, or the Tricycle Drivers’ Proper Attire Ordinance only covers three-wheeled vehicles.
Rentino, however, insisted that they were merely enforcing their mandate to enforce “proper attire” for the motorists, which are considered “nuisance” in public and pointing out safety measures by wearing shoes when driving.
