CHAIRMAN Emerson Carlos of the Metro Manila Development Authority on Friday said his agency will start implementing on April 15 the policy of citing motorists for traffic violations with the use of closed-circuit television cameras instead of human enforcers.
The target of this measure, according to Carlos, are erring drivers beating the red light, and those violating bus segregation and traffic lane obstruction rule.
“All vehicles are covered by this policy, including motorcycles,” said Carlos following a meeting with provincial bus owners and operators at the MMDA central office in Makati City.
“Before, the target of the no contact policy was the over speeding motorists. All traffic rules will now be included,” he added.
The scheme was first implemented during the time of then MMDA chairman Bayani Fernando in 2007 but the agency discontinue the practice following numerous complaint from motorists who claimed they were penalized without their knowledge.
“We corrected our error and now we have more than 300 CCTV cameras installed on major thoroughfares all over Metro Manila,” said Carlos.
The Metro Manila Council, the MMDA’s policy making body, in 2002 approved Resolution 02-49 citing the need to improve the system of apprehending traffic violators by way of adopting a no contact policy in apprehending traffic violators thru the use of digital camera.
“Physical contact between the traffic enforcer and the driver during apprehension is an open invitation for graft and corruption,” the MMC cited this as one of the reasons in coming up with the resolution.
Carlos said the MMDA and members of the Technical Working Group composed of representatives from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, Land Transportation Office, Department of Transportation and Communications and the National Police Highway Patrol Group have all agreed to reimpose the policy.
The guidelines under Resolution 02-49 are:
The “No Physical Contact Policy” in traffic apprehension entails coverage thru video footages and still pictures of motorists committing traffic violations. This shall be applied to all motorists at random and is not limited to Public Utility Vehicles.
Downloading shall be centralized at the Office of the Executive Director of the Traffic Operations Center, from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m.
The cameraman shall sign the Summon Forms containing pictures he shot in the video camera. He shall likewise indicate the violation committed in the Summon Form.
All Summon Forms shall be produced at the Office of the Executive Director.
The Summon Forms, signed by the cameraman and the Executive Director, shall be sent thru registered mail at the Makati Central Post Office using the postal charge account of MMDA. Copies of the Summon Forms shall be sent to the LTO and LTFRB on a daily basis.
The fines and penalties and all charges contained in the Summon Form shall be assessed at the MMDA-TOC Data and TVR Management Division and be paid at the Collection Division of MMDA. Assessment and payment shall only be made at the central office of MMDA located at the MMDA building, Edsa corner Orense, Makati City.
Payment of fines and penalties and all charges shall be made first, before filing any protest.
Payment of fines and penalties and all charges shall be paid within seven working days upon receipt of the summon. The vehicle shall be intercepted on the road and impounded if the fines and penalties are not settled within the prescribed period and additional surcharge of P5,000 plus the corresponding storage fees.
Likewise, the driver’s license of the erring driver shall be confiscated and be issued a Traffic Violation Receipt. The impounded vehicle and the driver’s license shall be released only after payment of the fines and penalties and all charges.
MMDA shall issue a first notice to the owner/operator of the vehicle captured on the program after the seven-day prescription time. A final notice shall also be issued by MMDA for failure to settle the account after seven days from receipt of the first notice. All mailing cost shall be charged to violators.
