The Pasong Tamo experience

As I was driving with Chuch, Gie Audz and Chi from BJ's house in Cavite, I found myself being halted by an MMDA officer. The place is Pasong Tamo, twenty minutes away from UST.

I stopped the car at about 4 meters away from the officer. When I opened the window, the officer welcomed me with:

"Sir, violation po tayo."

"Pakiexplain." I was getting mad because of one reason and one reason alone. I do not have a single cent inside my wallet, and I couldn't possibly buy off this officer.

"Sir, kasi po nasa left lane tayo, tapos bigla po tayong nagswerve sa right."

"Nag signal naman ako before I turned right, diba?"

"Sir, violation pa din po yun. ID na lang po."

"Teka, I did the right thing, nagsignal ako before I turned right. Bakit mo ako hihingian ng ID?"

"Sir, ID po."

I took my license from my wallet and hesitantly gave it to the arrogant police officer.

He called another officer, now a woman.

"Naghahanap daw ng light."

I interrupted. "Nagsignal sa right."

Woman officer: "Sir, violation po yung ginawa ninyo." Then she explained it again to me.

"Pero nagsignal ako ng pa-kanan. So you can't give me a ticket."

Adrenaline enters.

"Sir, madami pong naaaksidente kapag nag swerving eh."

"I know, kaya nga before I made a turn, nagsignal ako diba?"

Now the woman officer starts writing the ticket.

"Ma'am, stop writing. You can't do that."

She continues writing.

"There were two cars ahead of me that did the exact same thing I did, bakit hindi ninyo sila hinuli?!"

Male Officer: "Sir, hindi naman po namin pwedeng hulihin lahat."

"Precisely my point! (To the woman) Ma'am, are you listening?! You can't do that! I followed rules, they didn't"

The woman still continues writing.

"Ma'am, are you listening?! Ma'am, listen to me. You're not listening ma'am. Ma'am?! What's you surname?"

She then replied in a rather stuttering voice.

"Uhm, I..I'll....just give you a warning."

" A what? A warning?! You can't..." Before I could finish, the male officer interrupted.

"Sir, tama na po, baka dumagdag pa po yung violation ninyo."

"Sorry."

Then the woman officer returned my license and I was back on the road in no time.

This wasn't my first time getting caught by an MMDA officer, but this was the first time I went this far just to get away with trouble. Until now, I couldn't believe I got away with what I did just by arguing my point. And frankly, it felt great.

Back inside the car.

Me: "Put&@#$&!!! Ginawa ko yon!?"

The girls with me all screamed with glee.

Audz: Alam mo yung sorry mo na para lang matapos na pero hindi pa din ikaw yung mali?"

Chuch: "Umeenglish ka pa eh!"

Gie: Sabi ko na acting lang yun eh! Waaah!"

But for the record, it wasn't all acting. I was really angry and scared and nervous altogether. Now you see what having no money at all can do to me. So please, don't let me go poor, aawayin ko talaga ang buong mundo!