(Photo courtesy of HPG)
MANILA – Authorities impounded close to 1,500 vehicles and motorcycles for various violations in another "one time-big time" nationwide operations.
In a statement Wednesday, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Debold Sinas said the Highway Patrol Group impounded a total of 1,427 cars and motorcycles for various violations while 371 illegal accessories were confiscated during the 11th simultaneous "Oplan Lambat Bitag Sasakyan" operations on Monday.
HPG director, Brig. Gen. Alexander Tagum said Regional Highway Patrol Units (RHPU) rounded up four wanted carnappers, issued 7,043 traffic ticket/citations, and cited 2,673 traffic violations in relation to Republic Act (RA) 4136 otherwise known as Land Transportation and Traffic Act.
Meanwhile, 1,426 citation tickets were issued to erring motorcycle riders while 19 colorum motorcycles were impounded.
Sinas also said the latest operations posted an increase in terms of the number of impounded vehicles and apprehended motorists as compared to data from the previous crackdown conducted on February 8.
“As compared to data from the previous 'one time, big time' operations, there is a significant increase of 5.7 percent on impounded vehicles with and without alarm. For violation of RA 4136, a 2.3-percent increase has been recorded while the implementation of RA 10054 (Motorcycle Helmet Act), Presidential Decree 96, and colorum (motorcycles) has an increase in total apprehension with 6.5 percent. Finally, the total of issued Traffic Citation Tickets (TCT,), Temporary Operator's Permit (TOP), and Ordinance Violations Receipts (OVR) has decreased by 2.7 percent," Sinas said.
The HPG also said it has arrested two carnapping suspects and recovered a firearm during the 'one time-big time' operations.
“Data from the Oplan Lambat Bitag Sasakyan reveal prevailing trends of the most committed traffic law offenses, and as such we see a consistent failure of many motorists to either wear their seatbelts or use proper helmets,” Tagum said in a separate statement.
Aside from enforcing the Motorcycle Helmet Law and traffic laws, the HPG also keeps a close watch on motorists' compliance with the Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999 (RA 8749), Seat Belts Use Act of 1999 (RA 8750), Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013 (RA 10586), and the Anti-Distracted Driving Act of 2016 (RA 10913). (PNA)
