'Name dropping' law proposed

Lawyers for Commuters Safety and Protection (LCSP) head. Atty. Ariel Inton, on Thursday proposed a measure to lawmakers that make "name dropping" a criminal offense.

Inton said traffic enforcers who are just implementing traffic laws were either forced to let go a violator or even faced sanction over name dropping made by drivers whom they apprehended and let go.

The LCSP lawyer cited a number of viral traffic enforcement incidents involving apprehended vehicles whose passengers name drop that they are either "son of a general" or a relative of local officials and even senators and congressmen.

The name of Senator Bong Revilla also made the headlines and caused the ouster of Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) traffic enforcement head Edison "Bong" Nebrija.

"Ang 'name dopping' ay isang offshoot sa palakasan system na matagal ng umiiral sa pamahalaan. Kaya naman ang mga pobreng kawani ng pamahalaan natatakot ay pagbibigyan sila," Inton told DAILY TRIBUNE.

"Mahalagang gawing criminal offense ito. Kapag nag-name dop para matakasan ang batas o paghingi ng pabor, totoo man o hindi, na kilala o kamag-anak siya ng taong pinagmamalaki niya, ay puede siya makasuhan sa panukalang ANTI- NAME DROPPING ACT," Inton added.

The LCSP believed that if it became law, it would give traffic enforcers the courage to apprehend violators and implement traffic laws fully.

Inton said the law must indicate to penalize "the practice of NAME DROPPING for the purpose of evading an apprehension, seeking undue advantage in government whether the person name dropping is actually related or connected to the official being name dropped."

"Kaya kapag ang isang tao ay hinuli dahil sa paglabag sa traffic at mag-name drop para takasan ang huli ay hindi lang siya pananagutin sa violation ng apprehension, pwede rin siya kasuhan under the Anti-Name Dropping Act," Inton explained.