Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — The Philippine National Police’s Highway Patrol Group (HPG) on Monday (September 14) began intensifying its enforcement of penalties on erring drivers along EDSA, starting with the no-contact apprehension.
The HPG’s no-contact apprehension is a new system in apprehending erring passenger buses.
Under the policy, traffic enforcers will take photos of erring buses instead of flagging them down.
HPG personnel will take photos of the plate number and other details of the bus and will send it to bus operators. In effect, the bus companies must keep these erring buses from plying EDSA.
HPG personnel will now issue traffic violation receipts from the Land Transportation Office — this is aside from the traffic citation tickets that can be issued by MMDA personnel.
The HPG also has added reinforcements to better manage traffic along EDSA.
There are currently 170 HPG forces deployed in six chokepoints on EDSA. Sixty more will be added soon.
Members of the Special Action Force (SAF) have also been deployed.
SAF member P03 Leo Bagcat said SAF troopers can instill more discipline on motorists even during the morning rush hour.
“Karangalan po ito na makatulong kami sa traffic situation natin. At least nagagamit pa rin namin dito yung disiplina,” he said.
CNN Philippines’ Rex Remitio contributed to this report.
