SENATE President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, called for intensified random inspections of ambulances conducting fake emergency runs, particularly during rush hours.
Lacson said authorities must apprehend drivers who misuse sirens despite having no emergency patients on board.
“More random checks on siren-blaring ‘ambulances,’ especially during rush hours, should be conducted. Drivers of vehicles with no emergency patients must be apprehended, their licenses revoked, and charged, if warranted,” Lacson said in a post on X.
He said improperly used emergency vehicles are not only disruptive but also pose risks to motorists and commuters.
“Aside from being annoying, they can be traffic hazards,” he said.
The call came after the Department of Transportation’s Special Action and Intelligence Committee for Transportation intercepted an ambulance using the Edsa Busway near Santolan Station in Quezon City. Authorities found that the vehicle was not responding to an emergency but was transporting passengers for routine hospital checkups.
The Edsa Busway is reserved exclusively for public utility buses, with unauthorized vehicles barred from entry.
Lacson has previously proposed measures to curb busway abuse, including reversing the direction of buses in the exclusive lane during peak hours to deter illegal entry by private vehicles. / PNA