By Christopher Lloyd T. Caliwan
MANILA, Sept. 6 (PNA) – After a four-day refresher course in traffic management at the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and Land Transportation Office (LTO), the Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) is set to lead the enforcement of traffic rules and ease the congestion in six major intersections along the 23.8-kilometer Epifanio Delos Santos Ave. (EDSA).
In an interview, PNP-HPG spokesperson Supt. Oliver Tanseco said that around 150 HPG personnel will be deployed on two eight-hour shifts starting at 5 a.m. and there will be 11 to 12 HPG officers stationed at each of the six choke points — Balintawak, Cubao, Ortigas, Shaw Blvd., Guadalupe, and Taft Ave.
Tanseco said the HPG men will be ceremoniously sent-off by PNP chief Ricardo Marquez from the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame at 4:30 a.m. on Monday.
Tanseco said priority action would be taken to clear the six major intersections that have been identified as “choke points.”
He added that the HPG personnel took the refresher course to learn the “new policies being implemented in the roads” for three days in MMDA days and one day in LTO.
He said that around 180 MMDA enforcers will still help man traffic along EDSA except in the choke points but will be under HPG jurisdiction.
“OpCon (Operational Control) na namin sila (MMDA). May mga HPG supervisor na mag-momonitor sa kanila, kaya same policies… Zero tolerance sa violators,” he added.
Tanseco said that by Monday, the HPG personnel will start issuing traffic citation tickets against the violators along EDSA and the traffic violation receipts that will be used under the single ticketing system will come from the MMDA.
Earlier, Chief Supt. Arnold Gunnacao, the HPG chief, said the group has received additional police officers from each of the five police districts in the National Capital Region.
Gunnacao said the PNP chief has strict orders for the HPG troopers to stay clear of any extortion activity while on duty along EDSA.
He is also encouraging passengers of public utility vehicles (PUVs) to document the apprehension of the driver on photos and video by the HPG officer. This, he said, could serve as evidence should there be allegations of extortion against any HPG officer.
Gunnacao said the HPG officers will strictly follow the order of President Benigno Aquino III to wrap up all apprehensions on EDSA within 30 seconds.
He added they will not tolerate the erring motorists with ‘padrino’ system as they implement the rule of law to lessen the traffic in EDSA. They will also not honor the calling cards of government or police officials to get away from traffic violations
He said the HPG officers at each choke point will be assisted by two non-HPG police officers to augment police visibility in the area.
Gunnacao also said the HPG officers at each choke point will have motorcycles and patrol cars to chase and apprehend erring motorists and to conduct roving check of the traffic situation.
For his part, MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino welcomed the order of President Aquino for the PNP-HPG to take the lead in managing traffic along EDSA.
“I certainly welcome HPG to take the lead in managing EDSA. It’s all about cooperation among government agencies to better supervise vehicular flow on the busiest route in Metro Manila,” Tolentino said. (PNA)