Stephen Speaks Selfie For a Traffic Ticket? Here's What Really Happened

(SPOT.ph) American pop band Stephen Speaks went viral over the weekend not for its music, but for using a selfie to "bribe" its way out of a traffic ticket on a Friday night, February 17. The band has apologized for what happened, and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority is now investigating the matter.

Fronted by singer-songwriter Rockwell Ryan Ripperger, Stephen Speaks is in the Philippines for mall tours, its "best one yet." On Friday, February 17, the band said its Grab ride was pulled over for allegedly running a red light. How did it get away with it? With a selfie from the passenger seat (pun intended).

"My tour crew bribed him with a selfie with me to let us go. He said he sings Passenger Seat at the karaoke bar," it wrote in its official Facebook page, with five tears of joy emoji.

"I was like…. I can’t believe that actually worked."

Also read:
With This Traffic, Is it Time You Finally Try a Motorcycle Taxi?
Here's How Much Traffic Violations Will Cost You in the Upcoming Single Ticketing System

Stephen Speaks Clarifies Post, "We are not criminals"

Following memes and backlash, Stephen Speaks clarified the post in a comment. The Grab car was cleared to run when it was stopped by another vehicle, it said.

The band also apologized for using the term "bribe."

"All the angry people on here, the kid driving us did show the officer on his dash cam that he was clear before the light turned red, and other people ran it way more than he did. Settle down now," it said in a comment before adding the clarification to the main post.

"We aren’t criminals here. It’s like the replay in a sports game when the referee realizes he saw it wrong. I just thought it was funny the officer wanted a selfie with me."

The band also replied to one comment calling them a 'snitch'.

The band issued a separate apology post on Facebook on Saturday, February 18, acknowledging their "poor choice of words" which it said was done in jest.

"We apologize to all who have been bothered by this seeming disregard for authority. Rest assured, we respect all the authorities in the Philippines. We will learn from this. Once more, my sincerest apologies."

MMDA on the Stephen Speaks Incident

An hour after Stephen Speaks released its second post, the MMDA said it would investigate the traffic enforcer allegedly involved in the incident. Licenses of those involved could be suspended, "especially those who escaped apprehension because of influence."

Noting the band's clarification, the MMDA said the Grab car shouldn't be apprehended if it crossed the road before the light turned red, even if it's stuck in the middle.

"The MMDA would like to stress that fame, power, and connections are not considered free passes to avoid being ticketed. It is wrong that a traffic violator was not given a citation ticket just because the passenger is a well-known figure," it said.

"Drivers and motorists who get away with their traffic violations just by using their popularity and connections and boasting about it on social media are not praiseworthy and not something to be emulated for."

Stephen Speaks visited the Philippines for the fifth time for a string of mall visits and to announce the release of its first-ever vinyl record of his greatest hits, exclusively in the Philippines, this October 2023.