THE ongoing Oplan: Lambat-Bitag Sasakyan of the Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) is gaining eadway in its efforts to account for stolen or unregistered motor vehicles and motorcycles and at the same time promote road safety and discipline by ensuring that the Land Transportation Code is being enforced to the hilt, the Journal Group learned yesterday
Since January, the PNP-HPG headed by Brigadier General Alexander C. Tagum has already conducted 13 Oplan: Lambat-Bitag Sasakyan operations nationwide leading to the apprehension of tens of thousands of violators and other law offenders in the streets, roads and other major thoroughfares in the country.
In a report to PNP chief, General Debold M. Sinas, the PNP-HPG director said the operational plan calls on all 17 Regional Highway Patrol Units and the HPG Special Operations Division-Task Force Limbas to apprehend all traffic violators in the country with the full support of the Land Transportation Office (LTO), Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and other local government units and agencies.
The latest operation led to the apprehension of the driver of a motorcycle included in the HPG list of wanted stolen vehicles; and 215 motor vehicles and 1,293 motorcycles without alarm or a total of 1,509 vehicles impounded.
Tagum said two other lawbreakers were arrested during the operation for illegal possession of drugs.
He said their latest operation also led to the confiscation of the following: four sirens, 10 blinkers, seven banned horns, 111 prohibited LED lamps attached in motor vehicles, 201 banned LED lamps attached in motorcycles, three motorcycle strobe lights, 35 vehicle fog lights, 18 motorcycle fog lights and 48 modified mufflers attached to six motor vehicles and 42 motorcycles.
A total of 3,864 drivers of motor vehicles and 6,368 motorcycle drivers were issued traffic citation tickets on the same day for various violations including using tampered/altered/painted vehicle plates, vehicle plates with hard to see plastic covers, dirty plates, fake plates, fake LTO stickers, no LTO stickers, improperly displayed plates, heavily-tinted, seatbelt law violation, no plate, no travel rule, using expired commemorative plates, using unauthorized plates, illegal transfer of plates, no LTO validating sticker and expired registration papers.
Tagum said they also accosted 1,770 motorcycle drivers and passengers for violation of the the helmet law and impounded four colorum vans and 14 colorum motorcycles.
The PNP-HPG director said they will be continuing the program to ensure that motorists observe basic road safety policies and at the same time fully follow all road rules and regulations enacted to save them, their passengers and the rest of the general public.
Tagum said he also wants the campaign to be regularly undertaken in known dangerous highways and roads in the country where accidents that have killed and maimed so many people have already taken place in the past or are still taking place up to this time mainly due to poor vehicle maintenance leading to faulty brake system, driver’s error, drunken driving and poor road visibility.
“This is where our Oplan Lambat Bitag Sasakyan comes in, not only to enhance national efforts against all forms of criminality on our roads, but also to remind our motoring public to ensure all road users’ safety by following all traffic rules and regulations,” Tagum said.
According to the official, the inter-agency campaign spearheaded by the PNP-HPG enhanced traffic law enforcement thru the use to modern tools such as speed guns, alcohol breath analyzers, mobile motor vehicle inspection stations, and citation tickets.
