Police nab 37 drivers in Balintawak market

Police arrested yesterday 37 drivers in the campaign waged by Metro Manila police chief Deputy Director General Reynaldo Velasco to clear EDSA fronting the Balintawak market in Quezon City of traffic obstructions.

Velasco ordered the clearing up of the area following the rash of complaints reaching his office regarding the heavy traffic fronting the Balintawak market during the wee hours of the morning. Vehicles, especially trucks, occupy three lanes of EDSA leaving only one lane for motorists who are either rushing home or to report to their offices.

In his directive, Velasco also ordered the arrest of any policeman found coddling erring truck drivers.

Superintendent Miguel Laurel, head of the Regional Intelligence and Special Operations Office (RISOO) said truck drivers were double or triple parking along EDSA when his men made the arrests.

"They were unloading their vegetables in the middle of the street causing heavy traffic," said Laurel in an interview.

According to Laurel, he issued stern warnings to truck drivers only to use the sidewalk to unload their cargoes but it went unheeded. But armed with Velasco’s directive, Laurel, in a joint operation with the Central Police District (CPD), confiscated the erring drivers’ licenses and turned them over to the Central Traffic Enforcement Group (CTEG) for proper disposition.

Double or triple parking in the middle of the street has a maximum penalty of P500.

Laurel said not a single policeman showed up to intervene in the cases of the erring drivers.

Reports reaching Velasco’s office showed that the erring drivers were brave enough to occupy the three lanes of EDSA fronting the Balintawak market because of the ample protection given them by CTEG operatives.

Laurel said two teams of RISOO agents will monitor traffic in the area until such time that concerned drivers will use only the sidewalk in their vegetables unloading operation.

"We understand the business they are in but they must follow rules and regulations for them not to cause heavy traffic in the area," said Laurel referring to the erring drivers.