MMDA, LTO reach no contact apprehension deal on EDSA busway

Due to the increasing number of EDSA busway violators, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and Land Transportation Office will be using the closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras to enforce the No-Contact Apprehension Policy.

According to Mark Salazar's 24 Oras report on Thursday, under a Memorandum of Agreement between the two agencies, the MMDA will monitor the CCTV for violators while the LTO will set the appropriate punishment.

Last year, the issue of data privacy was raised during the resumption of oral arguments at the Supreme Court on petitions seeking to invalidate the No Contact Apprehension Policy against erring motorists.

“Hindi namin kayang bantayan 24 hours ang entire stretch ng EDSA. Nag-usap kami ng LTO tungkol dito since hindi naman sila kasama sa pinagbawalan ng korte suprema,” said MMDA Chairman Don Artes.

(We cannot guard the entire stretch of EDSA for 24 hours. We have talked about this with the LTO since they are not included in what was prohibited by the Supreme Court.)

“This is nothing connected to the Supreme Court case. This is purely the mandate of LTO," said LTO Chief Vigor Mendoza.

This arrangement could be in favor of the LTO, since the agency only has a limited number of traffic enforcers.

It added the EDSA busway memorandum is just a pilot test and ensured that the other roads in Metro Manila will soon be equipped with CCTV.—Sherylin Untalan/RF, GMA Integrated News