Dragged king

Being dragged by a moving car not only happens in the movies. It happens to traffic enforcers in road rage-prone Metro Manila.

In November 2014, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) traffic constable Jorbe Adriatico flagged a blue Maserati on Quezon City for trying to make an illegal left turn. Adriatico was able to take a video of the driver of the car, Joseph Russell Ingco, incurring his ire.

The driver U-turned to confront Adriatico and an altercation ensued. As the traffic constable held on to the shirt of the driver, the latter punched him in the face and drove off. Adriatico was momentarily dragged before letting go of the driver.

Another MMDA traffic officer caught the scene on his cell phone camera. Later, Adriatico filed charges against Ingco for serious physical injuries, direct assault against an agency or person in authority, grave threat and robbery for grabbing his cell phone.

While the MMDA, then headed by now Sen. Francis Tolentino, backed Adriatico in the case, even offering a P100,000 reward for the capture of the errant driver, the only consolation he got after being dragged by a car and suffering a broken nose was the Land Transportation Office’s order revoking Ingco’s driver’s license. He even faced countercharges from Ingco.

However, 21-year-old Manila City traffic enforcer Adrian Lim was lucky for being dragged by a car last Saturday as he tried to serve a ticket to Orlando Ricardo Dizon Jr. for disregarding a lane marking.

In a CCTV footage, Dizon’s SUV sped off as Lim was clinging on to the driver’s window. The car even swerved as if trying to throw Lim off. After being dragged for 300 meters, Lim finally let go. Police later stopped and arrested Dizon at Oroquieta Street. He was charged with physical injury and hit and run.

Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso learned about the incident. In a speech on Monday, Moreno said he was puzzled why Lim disregarded his life and safety to do his duty of enforcing a traffic violation fine worth only P500.

Nonetheless, the mayor was proud of Lim’s action which he said should be emulated. Aside from commending him, he ordered his regularization.

For being dragged by a car, the former job order worker of the Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau became a regular employee.