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The Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said Monday that they
would elevate a recent Court of Appeals decision, which declared two
of the agency’s traffic programs void, to the Supreme Court.
MMDA General Manager Robert Nacianceno said that
even though the two traffic schemes declared void are not being
implemented by the MMDA, they would still seek the High Court’s
ruling for they believe in the legitimacy of the schemes.
The appellate court declared void the MMDA’s
single ticketing system for traffic violations, called as the
Metropolitan Traffic Ticket (MTT), and the Non-Contact Traffic
Apprehension which was introduced three years ago.
Nacianceno said the agency has stopped the
issuance of the MTT and reverted back to the use of the Traffic
Violation Receipt (TVR) in apprehending motorists.
The MTT is an improved version of the TVR which
aims to eradicate corruption among traffic enforcers and motorists,
and to provide drivers a more convenient way to settle their fines.
Under the MTT, the licenses of apprehended
drivers will not be confiscated. Instead, they will be issued
tickets and can settle their fines at any Metrobank branch.
The non-contact traffic apprehension is a scheme
where traffic enforcers will take pictures of vehicles committing a
traffic violation. The MMDA will just send a summons to the operator
and driver of the vehicle that was caught on video or camera
committing a traffic violation.
The two traffic schemes have been declared
illegal by the Makati Regional Trial Court because of the absence of
an approval from the Metro Mayors Council, the decision making body
of the MMDA. The lower court’s ruling was recently upheld by the
Court of Appeals.
-- Jayson Cruz Luna
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