MANILA, Philippines — The no-contact apprehension policy has been met with criticism, but the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is planning to appeal the Supreme Court (SC)’s decision suspending the NCAP.
The NCAP is a scheme that uses closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage to monitor motorists violating traffic rules.
Oral arguments on the NCAP’s constitutionality found several issues such as hefty fines, the lack or inefficiency of CCTV cameras and other traffic infrastructure as well as data privacy violations.
This prompted the high court to suspend the NCAP in August last year.
The MMDA, however, claimed that traffic violations “tripled” since the traffic scheme was halted.
At a press briefing on Wednesday, acting MMDA Chairman Romando Artes said they would present data to show that accidents and traffic violations increased since the NCAP suspension.
The MMDA said from an average of 9,514 traffic violations, the figure rose to 22,736 in September last year and skyrocketed to 32,739 as of May this year.
Disregarding traffic signs made up a huge chunk of traffic infractions with over 24,000, followed by 5,500 violations of the number coding scheme, 2,088 for improper loading and unloading, 682 for road obstructions, 56 violations of the dress code for public utility vehicle drivers, and illegal parking.
Artes also cited the accident along the EDSA Carousel lane involving a sport utility vehicle and a fuel tanker, which left a motorcycle rider decapitated on Wednesday.