What’s Wrong with Kotong?

Yes, indeed, what’s wrong with kotong?

I hear it every now and again: people dislike kotong or mulcting. They don’t like it when policemen or the blue and pink boys of MMDA take their hard-earned money in exchange for leniency. A wrong turn on a one-way street here, a swerving violation over there, driving a vehicle that’s supposed to be resting in the garage (if you have a garage) because it’s Wednesday and your car plate ends in 6. Everybody hates kotong, but when a policeman or an MMDA person stops you on the street, your first impulse would be to reach for your wallet (or purse if you’re a girl) and take out that hard-earned 200 pesos (depending on the particular policeman or MMDA brat).

But then again, what’s wrong with kotong?

People want a better EDSA, we want better roads and road officers. But when one gets stopped by road officers, they expect these officers to take their bribes. They don’t want to meet an honest road officer when caught. In other words, we need honest road officers when we’re not on the road. I’ve heard tsupers complain about kotong cops and MMDA officers and then lament about a cop that took away his license because that particular cop was an honest one. We need to understand what we’re wishing for. Wishing for honest road officers means that when you get caught, you will be given the just penalty according to the gravity of your offense. Let’s expect honest road officers. Moreover, do not give these road officers the chance to go corrupt on you. Stay away from traffic violations and kotong moments will be a thing of the past.

There are a million and one things wrong with kotong, with kotong cops and kotong MMDA officers, but there is something very wrong also with corrupt motorists.

Now, there are road officers who will gladly pull out phony, hairy violations from their hats, but that’s another story.