MMDA disbands Traffic Enforcement Group

Chairman Bayani Fernando of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) yesterday disbanded the agency’s Traffic Enforcement Group (TEG) and ordered the policemen assigned to the unit to report back to the Philippine National Police after the Metro Mayors Council (MMC) decided to dissolve the police unit.

Fernando said a 1995 Memorandum of Agreement between the MMDA and the PNP has been suspended after the mayors approved the plan during a meeting last Dec. 7.

One of the reasons cited to disband the TEG is that the PNP had recalled almost all of the policemen assigned to the MMDA.

"As a result of which, you (TEG members) are automatically returned to the PNP and your deputation as traffic officers in Metro Manila is correspondingly revoked effective immediately," Fernando said.

"In view thereof, you are advised to surrender the traffic violation receipts issued to you as a deputized traffic enforcer," he added.

"Clear yourselves of any money or property accountability related to your assignment in TEG," Fernando said in his memorandum.

Fernando, in an interview with The STAR, said the decision to dissolve the unit was based on the fact that the agency used to have 1,000 policemen but the PNP have recalled most of the police officers and only 45 policemen are left.

"Now, there are only 45 policemen. Useless na rin eh," he explained, believing that the MMDA can manage traffic in the metropolis even without the policemen by maximizing the use of more than 2,400 MMDA traffic enforcers.

Fernando will ask the PNP to form another group which will now be designated as security personnel for special operations like sidewalk clearing or demolition of illegal structures.

"We will ask them to give us 20 to 50 police officers who will not be deputized as traffic enforcers but will purely be security na lang sila," Fernando said.

He assured the people that even without the TEG, the agency’s traffic enforcers will continue to effectively conduct traffic management in Metro Manila’s streets.