Radio ban ordinance penalty decreased

CEBU, Philippines -  A 75 percent decrease in the fines and penalties for the violators of City Ordinance 1490 or the ordinance banning radio sets to be installed and played in all Public Utility Vehicles was passed by the council during last Friday’s regular session.

The ordinance was proposed by councilor Richard Osmeña, chairman of the committee on traffic management, which amended CO 1490 providing less penalties and fines for drivers and owners of PUVs that will be caught with radio sets in their vehicles.

Under the old ordinance, the fine for operators or vehicles starts at P4,000 but it is now reduced to P1,000 or imprisonment of not more than three months for the first offense and P2,000 up to P3,000 for the second offense or imprisonment of up to six months.

Drivers likewise will not have to pay up to P400 in fines of imprisonment of not more than six months.

The new ordinance only penalizes them P100 or imprisonment of at least a month for the first offense, P200 and imprisonment of not less than two months for the second offense and so on.

In addition to the said penalties, the radio sets and similar contrivances will be confiscated and forfeited in favor of the city government and maybe disposed of in accordance with existing laws and regulations.

But unlike before when radio sets are confiscated and forfeited during the first offense, the new ordinance allows owners to redeem the item during the first and second offense provided that they will pay the appropriate fines which have become more affordable.

This amendment was made in response to the complaints that owners could not redeem their confiscated radio sets.

The City Traffic Operations and Management is the enforcement agency of the ordinance and has been authorized to settle any violation before a case is filed in court upon payment with the city treasurer of the compromise penalty.

The council also clarified during the final deliberation that taxis are not exempted from the ordinance so a taxi unit that will be caught with radio set or any similar equipment shall be penalized for violation of the ordinance.   (FREEMAN NEWS)