Illegally-parked vehicles on “Mabuhay Lanes” will be towed and violators who will complain and disrespect authorities will be arrested starting November 1, the Highway Patrol Group warned on Friday.
Joint forces of HPG, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and local police and government units will start its crack down on illegally-parked vehicles and street vendors causing obstruction on 17 Mabuhay Lanes or express routes connected to Edsa.
The Mabuhay or Christmas Lanes have been laid out by the MMDA to avoid heavy traffic in major roads in Metro Manila during the Christmas holidays.
These lanes include parts of West Avenue, Quezon Avenue, Mindanao Ave., and Commonwealth Ave., in Quezon City; Jones Bridge and Tayuman Street in Manila; and Connecticut and Ortigas Avenue in San Juan City, among others.
READ: MMDA creates 17 Mabuhay lanes; routes specified
HPG director Arnold Gunnacao said that from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. during the period of Nov. 1 to Jan. 2, all forms of obstruction on Edsa and will be cleared.
First on their list of crack down areas is Connecticut Street in Greenhills, San Juan City.
“We will remove anything that will obstruct these roads. The MMDA has put a line [along] each road and anyone who would step on the line will face violations,” Gunnacao said in an interview.
READ: All obstruction to be removed from EDSA starting Nov. 1 – Almendras
The HPG also reminded that vehicles stopping on lanes marked as no-parking zones with their hazard lights on will be apprehended.
Unloading of passengers in these areas will be allowed for 30 seconds only.
All motor vehicles towed by the authorities will be brought to an impounding area near the Ultra or Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
Gunnacao also warns violators who would bribe or disrespect traffic authorities that they would be arrested immediately.
“Ang instruction ko sa HPG, kapag ang mga taong kausap nila ay lumalabag sa batas at binabastos na kayo ay pwede niyong arestuhin, kung pwedeng iwasan, iwasan niyo. Pero kung abusado na at nagba-violate na ng batas ay arestuhin,” he said.
(I instructed the HPG that if the person they have accosted has violated the law and has disrespected them, they may arrest the person; but it must be avoided as much as possible. But if the person is abusive and is violating laws, then he must be arrested.)
“Hindi tayo papayag na gumawa sila ng labag sa batas sa harap ng mga pulis,” he added.
(We will not allow them to violate the law in the presence of the police.) CDG