THE Philippine National Police (PNP) Highway Patrol Group (HPG) has warned those covering the license plate of their vehicle or motorcycle in order to elude the No Contact Apprehension Policy (NCAP) in Metro Manila.
In an interview, HPG spokesperson Lieutenant Nadame Malang said HPG personnel are deputized by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to apprehend drivers who conceal their vehicles’ license plates.
He said violators will have to pay a fine worth P5,000 and may also be meted with a maximum of two years imprisonment.
On Monday, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority reported to the LTO more than 50 motorists who covered their license plates to evade capture under the NCAP.
MMDA Special Operations Group-Strike Force head Gabriel Go turned over evidence including photos to LTO Executive Director Greg Pua to identify the registered owners of the erring vehicles.
The NCAP was reimplemented on May 26 along Edsa, C5 Road and other major thoroughfares under the jurisdiction of the MMDA after the Supreme Court lifted the temporary restraining order (TRO) it issued in August 2022.
More than 5,000 violators were apprehended in the first week of its reimplementation.
Malang said the HPG will also beef up personnel deployment in areas not covered by NCAP to continue operations against erring motorists.
He said 1,500 other HPG personnel will be deployed across the country.
Malang said this is also part of the HPG’s compliance with the order of PNP chief General Nicolas Torre III to beef up police deployment on the streets for public safety.
“Makakaasa ‘yung ating publiko na ‘yung presensya ng ating HPG lalo’t higit sa hindi hagip ng NCAP ay talagang bubuhusan ng inyong HPG para makatulong sa pagpapabilis ng trapiko ng mga sasakyan ng ating mga kababayan,” he said.
(The public can be assured that the presence of our HPG, especially in areas not covered by the NCAP, will be strengthened to help ease traffic flow for our fellow citizens.)
In line with Torre’s order, Malang also said the HPG issued 733 handheld radios to its regional field units in a bid to boost communications. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)