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Solon calls on Congress to investigate high fines set by LTO

TopGear.com.ph Philippine Car News - Solon calls Congress to investigate high fines set by LTO, other agencies

Rep. Winston Castelo (2nd District, Quezon City) is calling on his colleagues in the House of Representatives to investigate a department order issued by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) imposing high fines against violators who are caught operating a motor vehicle while driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

With Castelo's filing of House Resolution 2394, the lawmaker wants the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability to investigate not just the high penalties imposed by the LTO but that of other government agencies as well.

"The public may not have noticed the frequency of department orders imposing higher penalties that contravene the intent of the Constitution," said Castelo.

The solon pointed out that Baguio Regional Trial Court Judge Antonio Esteves has issued a five-page decision that ruled that the LTO Department Order 2998-39 implemented in March 2009 was unconstitutional.

"The LTO order raised the penalties for various traffic-rule violations as an exercise of its authority and its police power when such justification is deemed not disciplinary or punitive nor a preventive measure," Castelo added.

According to Castelo, under the LTO department order, the penalty for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol was pegged at P10,000 and P5,000, respectively.

Under the present law, however, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol carries a P2,500 fine, imprisonment of between three and six months as prescribed by the 2003 Traffic Code for first-time offenders, and the revocation of their driver's license.

"This is something that clearly indicates that the aim was not really a valid exercise of police power of the State but more indicatively to raise funds for government coffers," Castelo said.

Now, here's our opinion on the matter: What's wrong with imposing an exorbitant fine for drunk-driving? Isn't that the whole point of it all--to make the punishment so steep as to make would-be offenders think twice before doing the deed? What do you think? Take our poll.

 

How much should the penalty for drunk-driving be?

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  • carwiki 11 months ago
     
    I should say that the fine should be very high. Lesson na din ito sa mga drivers. First commission should be P20,000 of fine, like Mr. Alex said and suspension of license for 3 months. Then if he does it again, the vehicle should be impounded and, revocation of license.
       
    • walphie 11 months ago
       
      We should really have a points-based system for driver licensing. Should put some much-needed discipline back into our roads.
         
  • dextermorgan 11 months ago
     
    im against this. we all have to party naman once in a while and its hypocrite if we say we never drinked and drive.... drinking isnt the issue. getting drunk is ........ so dahil uminom ka nang bote nang beer wala na di ka na makakauwi iwan mo na kotse mo taxi nalang? hassel parang sinabi niyo na ban nalangn atin ung alcohol diba kung drunk driving is the case. you can never be drunk without alcohol.
        9
    • dextermorgan 11 months ago
       
      education not threat or fear of a fine should rule the streets:)
          2
    • JuanC 11 months ago
       
      im against on what you are trying to say.. dont put other peoples life at risk with a bottle of alcohol on your mind. be a responsible road user. if education is what you are trying to say to rule its pity to know that you dont have it. keya sinabi DONT DRINK AND DRIVE.
         
      • dextermorgan 11 months ago
         
        thank you sir juan :) tama ka jan:)
           
    • walphie 11 months ago
       
      Dude, don't mistake your "right to party" being in conflict with the government's responsibility for the public welfare. I purposely minimize driving during Friday and Saturday evenings because of irresponsible people who drink, get drunk, then try to drive--please, if you have a death wish, don't bring me along.

      I have never been drunk then tried to drive afterwards. And never will.

      Disclaimer: Drinking is not the same as being drunk. A bottle won't get you drunk. So is a glass of wine, or even two. If you know you can easily get drunk and are driving home, do the sensible thing: skip the second bottle. Saying NO won't kill you. Saying YES might.

      Education? Pleeeease. Once you're drunk, decision making becomes a futility. Inhibitions go out the door, as well as our ability to assess risk. Education or not, you're more likely to do something st*pid under the influence.
         
      • dextermorgan 11 months ago
         
        un nga sinasabi ko eh! tingin mo ba pag nahuli ka dahil lasing ka na tlga? kahit nakainom lang tol hinuhuli :) relax ka lang its just a thought not somthing im gonna push or fight for :)
           
    • Allain 11 months ago
       
      lasenggero ka..kung gusto mong uminom wag ka magdala ng sasakyan. Having a car is a big responsibility. You can drive your car anywhere you want to go BUT you have to obey the traffic rules. Nakalimutan mo na yata ang nangyari sa 4 na teenagers na NAMATAY dahil nakainom. Yes i do drink and drive...dati..and i thank God at walang masamang nangyari sa akin at family ko when i do this and im not going to wait for something bad to happen para magtino ako.
         
      • dextermorgan 11 months ago
         
        diba we have gone to that point of life where we drink and drive so tingin mo dahil nalagpasan mo un nang buhay ok na ?:) pwede na sila mag higpit?:) alam ko concern natin ung mga tao and kabataan and as parents or mature individual it is your duty to protect the young :) again im merely giving a thought and i appreciate all your comments and concern for everyone :) mali ako promise pero im intending to say whats happening in reality:)
           
  • jarrieta 11 months ago
     
    I agree the fine should be higher. Before anything though, I hope they have a proper method of detecting if a person is drunk. They should have a breathalyzer, and clean up the ranks of traffic enforcers and cops. Just like any law, specially traffic laws gets abused and is subject to corrupt practices of some officials.
       
  • dextermorgan 11 months ago
     
    drunk walking is dangerous as well should it be punished then?

    im not saying drunk driving shouldnt be punished but not a punishment that would go over what a person deserves.
       
    • walphie 11 months ago
       
      Again, missing the point.

      What a person deserves? When you're drunk, you're not only only putting your own self at risk, but other people's lives and property as well. Isn't that reason enough for the higher penalties?

      Try skirting around that once you've hit another car, crashed your own vehicle, or side-swiped a pedestrian or motorcycle. Once insurance collectors and lawyers start knocking, you'll wish you hadn't driven.
         
  • jarrieta 11 months ago
     
    Just a short story, one time I was eating at an "inasal" place. Uniformed police parked in view of the diners in a police vehicle. They went down with two jugs of hard liquor, they talked to the waiter and it seemed they had the second floor of the restaurant reserved for their drinking session. That is what I'm getting at, sure the law can be stricter but first make sure the enforcers themselves obey they law and not abuse it. Maybe someone just had 2-3 beers then it shouldn't apply that this person gets fined. Alcohol tolerance is different from one person to another. So there should be a breath and sobriety test but given the sad state of traffic law enforcement can be, that may just be wishful thinking on my part.
       
  • jarrieta 11 months ago
     
    skip the "can be" part
       
  • isaac3654 11 months ago
     
    Who gives a damn how much the fine would cost! Gusto ko SANA mataas ang multa PERO for sure ibubulsa naman yan. Pag mababa naman, edi medio marami ang ggwaa ng D.U.I.... HAYZZZ this is just a viscious cycle. Basta, ang gusto ko, ang results ay, magkaroon ng DISIPLINA pero ang nagdidisiplina ay HINDI RIN KURAKOT! -___-
       
    • Allain 11 months ago
       
      Para sa akin hindi na importante kung san mapupunta ang fine. If the fine is 10K for this violation and you are not willing to pay kapag nahuli ka bakit ka pa iinom at magmamaneho.Pag walang mahuhuli walang makukurakot!
         
  • neotech93 11 months ago
     
    There should be an objective approach to this in addition to making the fine steep. Make officials AND drivers bring a Breathalyzer kit. If an officer pulls over a motorist for suspicious drunk driving, the motorist should be given a ticket if he/she fails the breathalyzer test. If he doesn't the officer should let the motorist carry on. There are a lot of people out there who are definitely competent enough to drive after a bottle or two of beer or a glass of wine (or other examples that you wish to use).
       
  • Feeter Silverster 11 months ago
     
    Walang alam yang si Castelo, ignore him.
       
  • Feeter Silverster 11 months ago
     
    Dito naman kasi sa atin hindi naman mahuhuli ang lasing hanggang hindi naaaksidente eh, sa pag nakaaksidente lalo pang taasan ang fine/ penalty para talagang madala na. Kami man ng mga kabarkada ko disiplinado pagdating sa inuman lalo na pag may dalang sasakyan, pwede naman kontrolin eh.
       
  • wazdog 11 months ago
     
    dextermorgan, clearly you are unfamiliar with the concept of drink driving. "Under the influence of alcohol" means you are DRUNK and thus incapable of driving safely. Comparing it to drunk walking is just st*p*d for the reason that a drunk driver can kill other while a drunk walker can only kill himself. (Unless he causes cars to swerve and crash)
       
    • dextermorgan 11 months ago
       
      hahah im sorry for that then and thank you for educating me :)
         
  • siraniko 11 months ago
     
    dapat babaan para madami pang inom. e kung tataasan nila fine wala nang pang inom db? kung wala nang pera manghoholdap na. so pag nahuli ikukulong..hay naku dagdag palamunin nanaman ng bayan.
       
  • neutral 11 months ago
     
    How would the enforcers know that the driver is drunk, with a bottle of beer? What gadget do they have? What parameters should the driver be called "driving while intoxicated"(DWI)? Implementation is the most important here because some enforcers might abuse in apprehending would be violators. There must be strict but CORRECT implementation of the law, that is, the person involved is "really intoxicated".
       
    • Allain 11 months ago
       
      Wala..ang sasabihin lang naman nila "Nakakainom kayo Sir ah"...tapos ang sagot mo naman "Konti lang Boss" o kaya naman " Hindi ako LASHENG baka ikaw ang LASHENG, t*r*nt*d*ng ito nambibintang..hik"..
         
  • JuanC 11 months ago
     
    i think winston castelo is a heavy drinker that is why he is scared of high fine imposed by LTO. P10,000 isnt enough compare to those people who lost their life because of drunk drivers. LTO should imposed heavy punishment to tell people that driving under the influence of alcohol is a very big violation.
       
  • KERSMcPherson 11 months ago
     
    bs solon. drunk driving is not even a privilege.
    here, in other country, just a DUI carries a hefty fine- zero tolerance especially for young drivers. Kahit nagmumog ka lang ng alak- cancelled agad ang license for 3 months, then take the exam and driving test again.

    dapat yata kailangan ng bagong batas na ang mga mambabatas ay dapat sila mismo magpatupad ng mga nagawang batas.
    - - - -
    and btw, nakakatawa naman ang 2 options sa poll. pang pre-school.
       
  • aargh 11 months ago
     
    This is from the solon who filed the anti-planking law and the anti-angry birds bill. He's just doing this to garner publicity so that may name recall when election comes. Looks like he's succeeding.
       
    • walphie 11 months ago
       
      This solon is a joke. QC District 2, i'm counting on you to NOT REELECT this poor excuse of a lawmaker.
         
  • walphie 11 months ago
     
    High fines are not preventive measures? Who in his right mind thinks fines are NOT preventive in nature?

    They're supposed to discourage people from doing st*pid things, like driving drunk. I believe the court is correct is saying LTO's directive is unconstitutional (because there is an existing Republic Act that specifies the penalties) but to say that it is NOT preventive is plain wrong and the judge should be sent home to read up on microeconomics and human behavior.

    As for Hon. Winston Castelo, you should join the judge in taking up a refresher on microeconomics and incentives. The Ayala Alabang incident was just a couple of weeks ago and now you're calling for an investigation on "exorbitant" fines for drunk driving? For shame, man. For shame. Denouncing a penalty for something that is clearly dangerous to both property and life is populism targeted at people who want to continue doing st*pid things.
       
    • isaac3654 11 months ago
       
      Kasi dito naman sa atin where we are heavy in dirty politics, lagi naman may beneficiary eh. Pag mataas ang multa, ibubulsa naman ng gobyeryno yan, pag mababa naman ang multa, marami naman gagawa ng krimen. Oo maaaring babawas ang krimen gawa ng mataas na multa, pero ano parin ang point nun kung ibubulsa ung mataas na multa? Edi may krimen parin. Hindi nga civilian, pero government naman. :|
         
    • Allain 11 months ago
       
      Another TONGRESSMAN na walang magawa yan. Imbis na isipin ang kapakanan ng marami ang ginagawa eh maging kritiko sa mga nagtratrabaho ng maayos. Kasi naman sobrang bagal kayo dyan sa congress kaya ayan nauunahan kayo ng ibang tao. Unconstitutional ba yung protektahan ang nakakarami? Mag isip ka nga Gunggong!
         
  • trail 11 months ago
     
    I think the solon's issue is not so much the fine itself, but what is actually being fined by the LTO as against what is in the law. If I'm right, then he really has a point. LTO charges P10,000 per violation, but is only required to report P2,500.
       
  • JepzMendoza 8 months ago
     
    fines should be higher, and LTO should raise all it's fines... and make sure that all fines that being collected will be put of good use like improve road visibility, more traffic enforcers and CCTV on the road and highway and not in the pockets of politicians.
       
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