THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority yesterday asked the Land Transportation Office to impose sanctions against a motorist caught on closed-circuit television camera illegally using the exclusive EDSA Busway more than 300 times.
In a letter addressed to LTO Chief Vigor Mendoza, MMDA chief Romando Artes said CCTV monitoring showed the motorist committed the violations while the temporary restraining order issued by the SC on the No Contact Apprehension Policy was in effect.
The SC issued the injunction in August 2022, stopping the MMDA and several local government units in Metro Manila from implementing the NCAP.
The High Court partially lifted the injunction last May 20, allowing the MMDA to enforce the policy on EDSA and other major roadways in the metropolis.
The MMDA started reinforcing NCAP on May 26.
“Discounting the instances prior to the lifting of the TRO on the NCAP operations, which number close to 300 incidents, vehicle bearing license plate (redacted) has been tagged traversing the EDSA Busway 14 more times since the resumption of the NCAP operation on the MMDA,” Artes said.
“These deliberate violations must be sanctioned; otherwise, it would embolden other motorists to disregard the prohibition on the use of the EDSA Busway. The motorist’s sense of entitlement, conscious of the existing CCTV cameras along EDSA, if allowed to persist, will be a mockery of the authorities and diminish public trust in the government’s ability to enforce its laws and regulations,” Artes added.
Artes said there is a need for the LTO to impose sanctions on the motorist. But he did not recommend any punishment that the MMDA deems would be enough against the erring motorist.
The LTO has the authority to temporarily cancel or revoke someone’s driver’s license, depending on the severity of the offense committed.
