Where did HPG go wrong on a rainy Tuesday night?

IT came too late.

Before the Philippine National Police’s Highway Patrol Group could even ask the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority to give them a list of flood-prone areas, heavy rains hit, causing flash floods in the metropolis on the second day of the HPG’s traffic duties on Edsa.

“Last night was really an expected thing in relation to other incidents that transpired or traffic situation before. We were expecting that come rainy season, there would be flooding in Metro Manila,” Gunnacao said in an interview at Camp Crame on Wednesday.

“Ang ginawa namin, I requested MMDA for a copy or a list of areas kung saan magkakaroon ng baha, kaya lang di umabot ang request,” he explained.

Gunnacao said the HPG had earlier planned to come up with alternate routes in case of flooding in the metropolis.

“At least last night, we were able to identify the flooded areas so we are formulating our plans already if there would be flooding in Magallanes, Guadalupe, Buendia or in front of Camp Aguinaldo,” he said.

Thousands of commuters and motorists were stranded and caught in heavy traffic as rains pummeled Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

President Aquino himself directed the PNP HPG to lead the management of traffic on the perennially congested Edsa, the 23.8-kilometer highway connecting major cities from Caloocan to Pasay City.

About 150 personnel from the HPG and the National Capital Region Police Office started manning six choke points on the highway on Monday. Julliane Love de Jesus/AC