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Unruly bus drivers may seem to be the common cause of traffic jams along EDSA but the Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) sees things differently.
Speaking to ANC’s Headstart, HPG director Chief Superintendent Arnold Gunnacao said that motorists, particularly private car owners, are harder to discipline than bus drivers on EDSA.
“They want to be ahead of others. That is one of the reasons why traffic congestion occurs because they really want to be ahead of others, and there will come a time that there will be a bottleneck because of their habit of doing that,” he said.
The HPG chief said 271 traffic violators were apprehended in the past four days, most of which are private vehicles. He added that cars often swerve and change lanes which contribute to road congestion.
The HPG has already taken over the management of traffic along EDSA instead of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA).
Gunnacao, meanwhile, defended the MMDA from criticisms that the agency failed in its duty to manage traffic on EDSA. He pointed out there is a difference between cops and constables.
“If you do not have that semblance of authority, the ordinary citizens will not respect you. And, of course, they (MMDA constables) cannot just arrest people. Unlike we, as policemen, we have the police power, we have the semblance of authority…and the right to arrest,” Gunnacao said.
Gunnacao said the traffic situation along EDSA has improved since the deployment and implementation of the new traffic measures, adding that “fear and determination” made the road management more efficient.
This article has been re-published with permission from ABS-CBNnews.com.
