HPG ready for EDSA traffic duties

MANILA, Philippines - The Highway Patrol Group (HPG) of the Philippine National Police yesterday declared its readiness to take over traffic management along EDSA on Monday.

HPG director Chief Supt. Arnold Gunnacao advised motorists to follow traffic rules and regulations on the 23.8-kilometer highway.

Gunnacao said PNP chief Ricardo Marquez would ceremoniously send off HPG police officers from PNP headquarters at 4 a.m. on Monday.

In 1995, traffic management duties on EDSA were transferred from the HPG to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) as the HPG focused on anti-crime operations on the highways.

Gunnacao said the PNP chief has strict orders for the HPG troopers to stay clear of any extortion activity while on duty along EDSA.

“The PNP chief will lead the sendoff ceremony and before that he would be talking to everyone of them regarding the policy against extortion. Just do your job and do not get involved in any illegal activity,” Gunnacao said.

Gunnacao is also encouraging passengers of public utility vehicles to take videos or photos of the driver being apprehended by HPG officer for traffic violation.

He said this could be evidence should there be an allegation of extortion against the HPG officer.

Gunnacao advised HPG officers to strictly follow the order of President Aquino to wrap up all apprehensions within 30 seconds.

“The rule is to get the license of the offending driver then issue the traffic citation ticket, all within 30 seconds. No more talking your way out, no more negotiations,” he said.

Gunnacao said the HPG would be deploying 96 police officers on Monday to the six choke points on EDSA. The officers would be deployed on two eight-hour shifts starting at 5 a.m. This means there would be eight HPG officers stationed at each of the six choke points. Gunnacao said the HPG officers at each choke point would be assisted by two other police officers coming from the local police precinct.

Gunnacao said the HPG officers at each choke point would have motorcycles and patrol cars.

He added each HPG officer would be carrying with him traffic violation tickets issued both by the MMDA and the Land Transportation Office (LTO). The tickets issued by the LTO carry higher fines for traffic violations as stated under the Joint Administrative Order 2014-01. Gunnacao said the apprehending HPG officer has the discretion which sort of ticket to issue after taking note of the gravity of the traffic violation.

Gunnacao warned any attempt to bribe the HPG officer is a criminal offense punishable with six years to 12 years imprisonment.

Gunnacao said the HPG has also placed measures to make sure that no extortion activity will happen on EDSA starting on Monday.

“We have the 30-second rule, we also have the periodic rotation of the HPG personnel which would also depend on the assessment. Usually it would be a three-day rotation or a weekly rotation. It would depend on the aspect… this is to prevent familiarization of the enforcers and the stakeholders,” he said.

Gunnacao added there would be roving inspectors to audit the performance of the HPG personnel.

He said the HPG officers involved in extortion would be subjected to a speedy probe upon the filing of a complaint.

Traffic czar

On Tuesday, President Aquino ordered the HPG to take over traffic law enforcement from the MMDA along EDSA.

The President also ordered the HPG to prioritize the clearing of six identified choke points along EDSA: Balintawak, Cubao, Ortigas, Shaw Boulevard, Guadalupe, and Taft Avenue.

Aquino, in a recent meeting with stakeholders, also reached a consensus that six major intersections along EDSA should be cleared of any disturbance of traffic flow.

Aquino also ordered the review and fine-tuning of action proposals on easing traffic congestion and submission of detailed implementation plans that take into account the need for solutions.

Aquino believes the odd-even scheme is the most radical solution to Metro Manila’s traffic problems, but he expects strong opposition from the public if this is implemented.

The President blamed the high volume of vehicles and the ongoing infrastructure projects for causing the traffic gridlocks in metro streets.

The Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) has offered the government several remedies, among them the appointment of Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras as traffic czar.

While welcoming the recent orders of President Aquino to transfer traffic management to the HPG, the MAP insisted on assigning Almendras as point man.

“Although Secretary Almendras has been assigned to take charge, an important component of such a plan is the appointment of a single point of authority, such as a traffic czar, duly empowered by the President,” said Eduardo Yap, chairman of the MAP’s Traffic, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

“We need a traffic czar not just to serve as a coordinator of different agencies working together to ease traffic flow, but one who is empowered to exercise executive powers to mobilize resources of the different national government agencies in order to expeditiously and effectively implement measures to provide the earliest relief from traffic congestion gripping the capital city,” he said. –With Rainier Allan Ronda