INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
ANGELES CITY, Pampanga — Mayor Carmelo Lazatin Jr. has ordered the deployment of night shift traffic enforcers to go after drunk drivers.
In a statement on Wednesday, May 24, Lazatin said the deployment aims to reduce the number of vehicular accidents involving intoxicated drivers.
Rodolfo Simeon, chief of the Angeles City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, said they responded to at least 321 road mishaps caused by intoxicated drivers in this city from November 2022 to May 24, 2023.
He said 319 people had to be rushed to hospitals for immediate treatment, while two had died before reaching medical facilities.
Francis Pangilinan, officer-in-charge of the city traffic development office, said 14 additional traffic enforcers had been initially hired for night shift duties.
He said the enforcers underwent training and a seminar on basic traffic management and were made to thoroughly study the city traffic code.
Pangilinan said the traffic enforcers would be deployed from 7 p.m. until 3 a.m. the next day.
This city also has a 24/7 emergency disaster command center which monitors major thoroughfaresvia closed-circuit television cameras.
Lazatin asked city residents and those from other areas not to drink alcoholic and intoxicating beverages when driving.
The mayor earlier requested the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to deputize city police officers and traffic enforcers and teach them how to properly conduct field sobriety tests.
So far, the LTO has deputized nine traffic enforcers in this city.
Under the Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013, motorists found driving under the influence of alcohol or dangerous drugs may be jailed from three months to 20 years and fined with P20,000 to P500,000, depending on the gravity of the accident. INQ