The Inter-Agency Council for Traffic (i-Act) with the Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Group (HPG) and the Coast Guard launched an operation in Taguig where drivers and motorists were arrested for violating minimum health protocols, Wednesday morning.
Aside from exceeding the 50% capacity requirement on public vehicles, several jeeps were also caught on East Service Road in Upper Bicutan carrying a passenger not wearing a face mask or face shield.
According to Police Lt Ricardo Martinez of the PNP-HPG, the problem on this route is recurring, so they invited i-ACT to serve as reinforcement to catch more violators.
Some drivers explained that this only happened because they could not pick up a passenger either.
Other drivers said they did not know, but this cannot be an excuse, according to Jose Manuel Bonnevie of i-ACT.
Some jeeps were released immediately when their passengers reached capacity.
Enforcers also helped board the waiting commuters.
Meanwhile, up to 10 policemen and an army reservist on motorcycles were ticketed for wearing substandard motorcycle helmets.
Police officers are in uniform, and most wear bicycle helmets or helmets used in police operations.
Some of them carry standard helmets on the motor but do not wear them.
i-Act apprehends drivers, motorists violating health protocols
One police officer, the violation was further aggravated because no OR-CR was presented.
“Being in uniform, we must be the source of it and be seen by the people who follow. If we are the first violator, how can we expect the civilians to follow us?” said Bonnevie.
There are more than 40 motorcyclists in the area.
There was also an SUV that was found to have no conduction sticker and no standard license plate.
Meanwhile, the mayors of the National Capital Region are set to issue a position on Wednesday on extending or changing the quarantine status of Metro Manila when the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) ends on Friday.
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Benhur Abalos told ABS-CBN News that the Metro Manila Council would be voting since Tuesday night on their recommended status for the region.
Voting will end on Wednesday, he added.
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