A barangay councilor (kagawad) from Barangay San Agustin in Quezon City came under fire for repeatedly blocking a residential driveway in the area.
Facebook user Lucille Pascua called out the owner of a white vehicle, which she said had been parking in front of their driveway for a some time.
“Tuwing uuwi kami, laging ganito ganap. Kung walang space para sa parking, huwag magsasakyan. Sa susunod, spray paint na ilalagay ko sa mga sasakyan niyo,” she wrote in a Facebook post on April 8.
Pascua said the vehicle had been blocking their driveway for nearly a day.
Frustrated, she wrote the following message on the vehicle’s passenger door using a whiteboard marker: “Dun ka mag-park sa bahay mo!!!”
“May sasakyan na naka-park sa harap ng bahay namin, 9 a.m. pa lang, sagabal na talaga. So sinulatan ko lang ng whiteboard marker para mapansin (hindi permanent). After a while, may sumugod… KAGAWAD pala!” Pascua wrote in another post.
She said the vehicle’s owners angrily confronted her and claimed the road was a “public space.”
Pascua argued that roads are meant for passing vehicles, not for parking.
“FYI [For Your Information], ginawa ang kalsada para daanan, hindi para parkingan ng mga sasakyan. What a mindset. Dapat ang ine-elect nating public officials eh maalam sa batas, hindi ‘yung self-righteous,” she said.
The complainant said the entire incident, including the shouting, was witnessed by her child.
“At maririnig niyo sa video, ako pa raw ang magbasa ng batas. Eh sila ‘tong hindi marunong sumunod sa RA 4136 (Land Transportation and Traffic Code),” she wrote.
Pascua said the female individual in the video is a barangay councilor, while her husband is a former barangay councilor.
“Matapang porke nakaupo as Kagawad? Public official, pero ganito umasta? Nakaabala na nga, sila pa galit. Kayo na humusga. Ganitong klase na ba talaga mga niluluklok natin?” she wrote.
Pascua said they eventually parked their vehicle in another spot near a corner.
She added that she called the barangay, which advised her to file a blotter instead.
“Tumawag ako sa Pamahalaang Brgy. ng San Agustin kagabi, mabilis sila rumesponde pero wala silang nagawa kundi sabihan ako na magpa-blotter na lang daw. Porket Kagawad, protektado niyo? Ano klaseng sistema meron kayo,” Pascua wrote.
A “blotter” is a written report of an incident, usually related to a crime, filed with a police or barangay officials for documentation and possible use in court.
Gabriel Go, head of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Special Operations Group-Strike Force, also weighed in on the matter.
He said it should “basic knowledge” that gates and intersections must not be blocked.
“Hindi po ba bilang opisyal ng barangay, kayo ang unang una na nagpapatupad o kung hindi man, nakakaalam, at sumusunod po rito?” Go wrote on a Facebook post.
“‘Pag sinabing NO PARKING O SA MGA TINAKDANG BAWAL PARADAHAN, IBIG SABIHIN, BAWAL, HINDI ‘YAN OPTIONAL, KAHIT AALISIN NIYO PA ‘YAN MAMAYA!” he added in his post.
Republic Act No. 4136, or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code, states that a driver must not park a vehicle within an intersection, on a crosswalk, or in front of a private driveway, among others.
It also states that a driver must not park a vehicle on or along any sidewalk, path, or alley not intended for vehicular traffic or parking.
