Quezon City Fourth District Rep. Marvin Rillo has filed motion for suspension of the disputed no-contact apprehension policy (NCAP) imposed in several Metro Manila cities despite of increasing number of complaints from motorists.
The review and discussion of the suspension will be managed by local government committees and Metro Manila development and transportation, based on the House Resolution No. 237 that Rillo has filed.
Parañaque, Manila, Quezon City, San Juan, and Valenzuela City had implemented the NCAP policy. Motorists imposed a fine for traffic violations monitored by closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras.
The policy however received complaints from motorists with no violations being fined and others being fined twice for the exact violation.
“Drivers, motorists, public utilities and/or private vehicles in Metro Manila are currently bound to paying alleged multiple and/ or excessive fines and heavy penalties; and inefficiencies and defects, in both the policies and means and/ or grounds for violation of traffic laws, rules, and regulations, as well as the delivery of notices of these violations,” stated in the resolution Rillo submitted.
Rillo also stated that local governments involved and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) must come up of a solution to respond to the problem.
He said that suspension of all NCAP policy operation and implementation of the MMDA and LGUs is needed, prior to the review and investigation of law on the resolution, to avert supplementary inconvenience to the motorist and commuters.
On August 10, Surigao del Norte Second District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers probed the accordance of the NCAP to the constitution on his privilege speech. He emphasized that the penalties enforced were too much, a violation to the Constitution on Section 9, Article 3.
Barber’s also stressed that there will be chances the traffic violators could be fined on two institution, since some LGUs have different system of NCAP compared to the system used by MMDA. He also added that there has been no legislation prohibiting public to register their vehicles if there is pending fines for traffic violations.
He believes the due process provisions of the Constitution has been violated by the NCAP policy due to its seven-day deadline for traffic violator’s to dispute is very limited.
Barbers requested for investigation and suspension of the policy.
The NCAP has been controversial to the motorists and public, especially in different social media platform discussions.
Different cases had been shared where people were questioned for vehicles they did not own, while others were summoned even when they were not in the area on the date of the alleged violation.
There were also cases of traffic violations references being questionable – a motorist has been apprehended for using the bike lane. Several Facebook pages defended that the motorist went through the bike lane just to make a right turn.
Public also added that traffic lights seems to change without caution, sending violations to the motorist.
Land Transportation Office (LTO) to review the suspension of the NCAP until thorough investigation is performed.
