The penalties set beneath the no-contact apprehension coverage (NCAP) gave the impression to be “oppressive and discriminatory,” one of many petitioners towards the scheme mentioned.
Lawyer Juman Paa was requested through the resumption of the oral arguments on the Supreme Court if he thought-about these fines as regulatory charges.
“I don’t agree with the Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra, with due respect. It’s not more on the regulatory fees, because in the first place the fine for traffic violation appears to be oppressive, it’s discriminatory also,” he mentioned.
He mentioned that the offense because of obstruction of pedestrian lanes beneath NCAP can be fined P2,000.
Associate Justice Jhosep Lopez requested Paa if this tremendous is “oppressive” from his viewpoint.
“Yes your honor, because if you have been caught by the local traffic enforcers, they are collecting only P1,000. So the P2,000 if you have been caught through NCAP, but there is no substantial distinction to make the apprehension special or aggravating,” Paa mentioned.
“So you are saying previously P1,000 if you are apprehended by the police or enforcer, but now you are being fined P2,000 because you are caught under NCAP? You think it is already oppressive?” Lopez requested Paa.
“Yes, your honor,” Paa mentioned.
Meanwhile, Guevarra maintained the penalties beneath NCAP are administrative in nature as Associate Justice Rodil Zalameda recalled that the petitioners characterised the visitors violation and penalties beneath NCAP as quasi-criminal.
“At the very least, administrative, your honor,” Guevarra mentioned.
Last August, 2022, Paa joined the decision of transport teams urging the High Court to cease the implementation of the no-contact apprehension coverage.
Transport organizations Kapit, Pasang Masda, Altodap, and the Alliance of Concerned Transport Organizations additionally filed a petition towards native ordinances associated to the NCAP in 5 cities in Metro Manila: Manila, Quezon City, Valenzuela, Muntinlupa, and Parañaque. The SC then issued a brief restraining order on the implementation of the coverage.
Guevarra, in the meantime, urged the excessive courtroom to shortly raise the TRO through the first day of oral arguments on the three petitions final December.
He mentioned that NCAP is without doubt one of the options to the worsening visitors downside, which is straight tied to the rising variety of automobiles in Metro Manila.—LDF, GMA Integrated News
