MANILA, Phiippines - Militant transport group Piston on Friday said it opposes the deployment of Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group personnel to take the lead in the traffic management on major roads in Metro Manila.
Piston national president George San Mateo said that the move will only bring back the practice of traffic policemen of extorting motorists who have been cited for road violations.
"Ang pagtatatalaga ng highway patrol ay magreresulta lang sa pagtindi ng kotongan at korapsyon sa kalsada. Kaya nga inalis noon sa traffic ang highway patrol dahil sa 'buwaya' image ng highway patrol," San Mateo said.
He said the phrase 'buwaya sa kalsada' (crocodile on the road) has been coined during the time when policemen were deployed to manage and direct traffic.
San Mateo said that the cause of heavy traffic is the absence of a modern, convenient and efficient mass transport system, particularly the railways system.
"'Yung mass transport system ang maghihikayat sa mga napakarami at patuloy na dumadaming pribadong motorista na kadalasan ay isa o dalawang tao lang ang sakay na gamitin ang naturang mass railway system," he said.
Citing figures from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, San Mateo said 80 percent of the vehicles plying major thoroughfares in the metropolis during rush hours are private vehicles.