Metro mayors agree to postpone confiscation of driver licenses

MANILA: The 17 mayors of Metro Manila have decided to defer the confiscation of erring motorists' driver's licenses in order to facilitate the implementation of the region's proposed single ticketing system.

In the meanwhile, they agreed to Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos' request to place a moratorium on driver's license confiscation in the National Capital Region (NCR).

According to Abalos, the moratorium will go into effect while the NCR's 17 local government units (LGUs), the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), and the Land Transportation Office (LTO) develop the regulations for the interconnectivity plan that will be used for the single ticketing system.

“I am asking for help from our colleagues at the MMDA and the new mayors: as we are talking about imposing a moratorium, perhaps, there’s no confiscation of driver’s licenses for the meantime while we are building the interconnectivity program, and they allowed me to do so,” he was quoted as saying.

During the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte, Abalos was the chairman of the MMDA.

Metro Manila city and municipal governments will soon pass ordinances for the suspension and confiscation of driver's licenses.

The interconnectivity scheme, according to Abalos, will allow Metro Manila LGUs, the MMDA, and the LTO to maintain a shared database that will record details of erring drivers apprehended anywhere in the region.

He noted that, despite the authority granted to LGUs to enforce their own ordinances under the Local Government Code, the LTO has sole authority to seize driver's licenses.

While driver's licenses will not be confiscated, the chief of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) warned motorists that officials would compile a list of captured drivers, which would be given to the LTO during the moratorium time.

Abalos further stated that Metro Manila mayors and the MMDA have promised to make the penalties "lower" after they agree on the pricing range for particular traffic offenses under the single ticketing system, which will be applied throughout Metro Manila.

According to MMDA Chairman Romando Artes, local governments (LGUs) enforcing the contentious no-contact apprehension policy (NCAP), such as Quezon City, Manila, Valenzuela, San Juan, and Paraaque, have also agreed to lower fines to match prevalent penalties in the single ticketing system.

The NCAP has been challenged in court because it allegedly imposed harsh penalties on traffic violators, among other things.

The officials have not yet disclosed the price range of the common fines because they are still consulting with numerous private and public transportation groups.

The single ticketing system will impose prevalent penalties across Metro Manila on the following violations of traffic rules: disregarding traffic sign, attended and unattended illegal parking, number coding, truck ban and light truck ban, reckless driving, unregistered motor vehicle, driving without license, tricycle ban, obstruction, illegal counterflow, overspeeding, loading and unloading in prohibited zones, driver’s arrogance or discourteous conduct, traffic violations under special laws and violations by motorcycle drivers, including dress code, overloading, defective motorcycle accessories and unauthorized modification.

When a driver is captured anywhere in Metro Manila, he is given 10 days to pay the appropriate penalty.

Artes stated that erring motorists would be able to pay penalties at common payment facilities around Metro Manila, rather than in the town where they were apprehended.

The LTO, the MMDA, and the LGUs of the National Capital Region will also set the maximum demerit points to be issued to erring motorists per violation, which will enable Metro Manila traffic enforcers to confiscate the motorists' driver's licenses and eventually bar them from renewing them.

According to Artes, the aforementioned institutions will also make it easier for traffic violators to contest their arrest.

Photos from Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA)

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