MORE than 500 motorists were apprehended by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) 7 and the Highway Patrol Group (HPG) 7 during their One-Time, Big-Time (OTBT) operation in Dumaguete City on Thursday, June 27, 2019.
LTO 7 operation chief Macky Getaruelas said they impounded four colorum vans, one of which had been involved in an accident, while 39 motorcycles and one tricycle were impounded because of their drivers’ lack of license or the motor vehicles’ lack of registration.
The operators can get the vans back after three months of impounding and once they can pay the penalty of P200,000, while the fines for the motorcycle drivers will depend on their violation.
Another 513 drivers were apprehended and issued a temporary operator’s permit (TOP) for having defective accessories, or not having seat belts or helmets.
LTO 7 Regional Director Vic Caindec said they conducted the operation since his office had received reports that there are a number of colorum vehicles plying Negros Oriental.
Getaruelas said that LTO-Dumaguete had daily operations against violators; however, due to the lack of personnel, it could not arrest all the traffic violators in the area.
The OTBT operation of LTO-HPG 7 was their biggest operation in a single day this year.
In the previous month, the Philippine National Police also conducted the same operation, wherein it apprehended around 800 motorists. (from PAC of SuperBalita Cebu/JJL)