Jail awaits road violators in Mandaue

CEBU, Philippines —  The Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue has warned illegal parking violators and other road obstructionists that aside from paying fines, they will be put in prison.

Newly-installed TEAM executive director Edwin Anthony Jumao-as said yesterday that 16 vehicles were issued with a traffic citation ticket while seven others were clamped and impounded during the road and sidewalk clearing in barangays of Casuntingan, Cabancalan, Looc, Ibabao-Estancia, Labogon, Basak and Mantuyong over the weekend.

“Pero naa pay nadungag ani. I still have to check the record,” said Jumao-as in an interview.

Jumao-as said that their clearing operations along the sidewalks in the city paved the way for pedestrian to walk in the pedestrian lanes as vulcanizing shops, garbage, street vendors and other illegal structures were removed.

He said that under the city ordinance, illegal parking of four-wheeled vehicles including motorcycles carries a penalty of P1,000 per violation.

“Akong panawagan sa publiko nga kinahanglan motuman lang gyud ta sa balaud. Kay intensive na ang among kampanya batok traffic violations. Kung naa na mi abogado, mao na ni ang pagpadala og summons sa mga violators unya naa nay priso sa mga violators nga balik-balik,” said Jumao-as.

Jumao-as added that so far they have apprehended 33 tricycle drivers for violating the city’s health and safety protocols wherein the latter carries more than one passenger and two buses for violating social distancing inside the unit.

It can be recalled that Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes has imposed a one passenger policy for tricycle but with a higher fare of P25 instead of P8 per passenger. A tricycle can carry at least four passengers. — GMR (FREEMAN)