Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) traffic czar Edison Bong Nebrija has been dealing with increased basher activity on his Facebook wall lately.
(Facebook / FILE PHOTO)
Most bashers and trolls have tried to get under Nebrija's skin in connection with the online debate that was sparked by an MMDA traffic enforcer's apprehension of a motorcycle-riding couple whose back-rider wore slippers instead of shoes.
"People follow me because of my work they believe in what I do. Many bashers do not like my work because they get the apprehension side of it," he told the Manila Bulletin in an interview.
The bashers and keyboard warriors usually try to hijack Facebook posts from Nebrija that doesn't even have anything to do with the slippers controversy.
"Well that's good though because as early as now naba-block ko na puro troll naman at kamote (I've been able to block them, they're all trolls and non-law abiding riders anyway)," he said tongue-in-cheek.
Nebrija particularly took issue with commenters on his posts who show photos of alleged traffic violations committed by MMDA enforcers (e.g. rider-enforcers wearing slippers, a supposed no-no). He described such photos as arbitrary and untraceable.
"How can we proceed with the investigation kung wala man lang details like place and time of the incident? Puro litrato kapag tinanong kung kuha nIya, wala ng reply kasi grabbed photo sa web lang (How can we proceed with the investigation if there are no details given like place and time of the incident? If you ask if it was personally taken, there's no reply because its a grabbed photo from the web)."
Nebrija stressed: "We adhere to due process in which they do not believe. Gusto nila bara-bara wala naman sa lugar ng batas. Kaya minsan ang sumasagot sa kanila eh kapwa rider na rin na nakakaintindi: yung iba kasi gusto lahat ng huli arbor (They prefer arbitrary methods that have no place in law. That's why sometimes its the learned riders that reply to them; others just want to get off the hook when apprehended)."
So, will the "Eagle Alpha" cower at the might of his increasingly provocative bashers? Not likely.
"I cannot compromise the rule of law over following on FB and they cannot intimidate me not to do my job," he said.
"Kahit million pa yan (Even if they number in the millions), if I’m on the side of the law I will remain steadfast. Kapag mali ang tropa samahan ko pa silang magreklamo (If MMDA enforcers committed a mistake, I will accompany them in filing the complaint)," added Nebrija.