LTO agrees to deputize police
TO effectively manage the flow of vehicular traffic in main highways in Pangasinan, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) Region 1 and Pangasinan Police Provincial Office (PPPO) entered into a memorandum of agreement (MOA) last October 11 that deputizes trained police officers to use the authority of LTO to enforce national traffic rules.
P/Sr. Superintendent Lee and LTO regional director Guadiz sign the memorandum of agreement in the presence of LTO District Officer Eric Suriben.
LTO Regional Director Teofilo Guadiz III said the MOA specifically grants Pangasinan PNP the authority to implement traffic rules and discipline traffic violators through issuance of citation tickets or temporary operator’s permit (TOP) to the traffic violators, including impounding of vehicles and implementation of the Helmet Law.
He clarified, however, that the MOA does not authorize the PNP to collect penalties, release surrendered licenses and impounded vehicles. The authority to do these will still remain with LTO, Guadiz added.
Guadiz said, all that the deputized police personnel will do is to issue operator’s permit (TOP), receive driving licenses of erring motorists, and take custody of impounded vehicles.
The deputation program has been adopted by joint Task Force Maharlika of PNP and LTO at the TPLEX area in the fifth and six districts particularly in Urdaneta to Rosales area.
Lee said only the 16 police officers who have undergone training by LTO are deputized and will be deployed initially in main highways along Manaoag, Lingayen, Binmaley, Dagupan City and other towns in the first and second districts.
Additional personnel will be deputized only after they undergo seminars by LTO.
Lee said, the 16 personnel were already deputized before but they don’t have the tickets from LTO.
The MOA also directs PNP to turn over issued citations on a daily basis for accountability purposes.
LTO has briefed the deputized police officers on the revised fines and penalties for violations of laws, rules and regulations, governing land transportations and the Republic Act 4136 or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code. (Nora Dominguez)
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