LTO 6 arrests ‘no wang-wang’ violators
The Land Transportation Office 6 in Iloilo City has so far, arrested two violators of the “no wang-wang” order of President Benigno Simeon Aquino III.
The violators were rounded up for violating Presidential Decree 96 otherwise known as the unlawful use or attachment of sirens, bells, horns, whistles and other similar gadgets that emit exceptionally loud or startling sounds on the highways.
Marlon Velez, deputy chief of LTO 6 Law Enforcement Service, said one of the arrested violators is a personal driver of municipal mayor in Iloilo.
The mayor was not around during the arrest at Burgos St. in La Paz District Thursday last week.
The driver claimed the horn of his vehicle was damaged so he used the siren instead.
The other violator is a businessman from Iloilo City, who claimed he was not aware of his violation when he was arrested along Muelley Loney St.
Velez said the sirens and drivers’ licenses of both offenders were confiscated by LTO enforcers.
“We are also calling on other private individuals to take initiative in removing their own sirens before they will be fined,” he told The News Today.
In fact, Velez said a building contractor who owns several private cars commonly used in escorting Very Important Persons (VIPs) coming from Manila has already instructed his office to remove the sirens from his vehicles.
“That’s very impressive. We hope that others will also do the same,” he quipped.
Velez said such unregulated use of sirens, bells, horns, whistles or similar gadgets, including dome lights and similar signaling or flashing devices actually impede and confuse traffic.
These are inconsistent with sound traffic discipline and control on the highways, and in effect constitute a major problem in the maintenance of peace and order, he added.
PENALTY
For the first offense, the driver’s license of the violator will immediately be confiscated and he or she will be fined with P15, 000. In case of second and subsequent offenses, the offender shall be prosecuted for violation of the decree and upon conviction, shall suffer the penalty of imprisonment for six months and/or a fine.
EXEMPTION
Velez said that gadgets or devices mentioned above may be attached and use only on marked motor vehicles designated for official use by the Armed Forces of the Philippines, National Bureau of Investigation, Land Transportation Office, police departments, fire departments, hospital ambulances, and other authorized vehicles used during emergencies.
There is no exemption for any politician, however, they could still request for a police patrol car to escort them in some occasions, he said.
