Imagine getting flagged down by local traffic officers on your daily commute,
handed a ticket, and watched as your physical driver's license gets slipped
into their pocket. If you are driving through Bacoor, Cavite, local officials
insist that is standard operating procedure. But step back for a
moment—because according to national transportation authorities, that officer
might be overstepping their legal bounds entirely.
The Local Stance: "Not Metro Manila, Not Our Rules"
The conflict erupted after the City Government of Bacoor released a public
reminder backing its local traffic code (City Ordinance No. 11-2019). Their
argument? They claim that recent high-profile court rulings restricting local
license confiscations only apply to Metro Manila LGUs operating under the
MMDA.
Since Bacoor sits outside the National Capital Region, city hall asserts that
its autonomous powers under the Local Government Code grant its enforcers full
authority to hold onto driver's licenses to enforce road discipline.
The National Response: "Not So Fast"
It did not take long for national oversight agencies to jump into the ring.
The Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the Department of the Interior and
Local Government (DILG) issued clear statements countering the local
government's interpretation.
Here is the breakdown of why national authorities say LGUs cannot seize
physical licenses:
- Exclusive Mandate: Under national statutes and Department of Transportation (DOTr) guidelines, holding onto a motorist's physical license is a power strictly reserved for the LTO and officers who hold formal LTO deputization.
- Paper Citations Only: Longstanding joint memorandums between transport and interior departments establish that city traffic enforcers are fully entitled to issue local ticket citations—but issuing a fine is where their mandate ends.
- Uniform Enforcement: Transportation officials emphasize that having hundreds of municipalities writing their own rules on license confiscation creates chaos and confusion for millions of daily commuters.
What Does This Mean for You as a Driver?
If you frequently pass through Cavite or drive across different
municipalities, this legal tug-of-war puts motorists squarely in the middle.
While city enforcers on the ground may still try to enforce local ordinances,
national directives maintain that non-deputized officers have no legal
standing to take your plastic ID card.
Key Takeaways for the Road:
- Always stay polite: Never escalate an argument on the roadside.
- Ask about deputization: Politely ask if the apprehending officer holds official LTO deputization credentials.
- Know your rights: Local citation tickets are standard for traffic infractions, but losing your physical license without LTO involvement goes against current national guidelines.
As discussions continue between local chief executives and national agencies,
stay updated on traffic policies to protect your rights behind the wheel!
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