LTO-NCR: Over 18K motorists caught for violations
The Land Transportation Office (LTO) reported on Thursday that it apprehended 18,025 motorists in Metro Manila in the first half of the year, up by 124.5 percent compared with 8,028 during the same period in 2023. LTO-National Capital Region (NCR) director Roque Verzosa III said that based on data from their regional law enforcement service traffic safety unit, the largest group of violators consisted of 7,989 motorists who were caught disobeying Republic Act No. 4136 or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code. These included 1,227 cases involving unregistered motor vehicles in violation of the “No Registration, No Travel” policy.
On the other hand, 2,412 motorists were apprehended for driving vehicles with defective accessories, devices, equipment or parts; 1,227 for driving while wearing slippers; 789, for failure to carry required vehicle documents while driving; 670, reckless driving; 360, driving without a valid license; 231, obstruction; and 227, disregarding traffic signs. —JEROME ANING
House review of prison release policies pushed
A party list lawmaker has proposed that the House of Representatives examine prison release mechanisms, particularly the Good Conduct and Time Allowance (GCTA) scheme, to help decongest jails. Agri party list Rep. Wilbert Lee filed House Resolution No. 1717, saying a review may improve a convict’s rehabilitation and possibly improve congestion which has made it hard to undertake rehabilitative programs in Philippine jails which, according to the New York Times, are the most overcrowded in the world.
“The country’s jails are overcrowded by 367 percent with 68 percent out of 478 jail facilities considered as ’heavily congested.’ This shows that nearly three out of five jail facilities are overcrowded,” he added. Lee noted that the government has already increased detainee releases, reduced admissions, expanded jails and increased paralegal services to determine convicts’ GCTA which results in their earlier release. —JEANNETTE I. ANDRADE
Angara lists achievements in Senate resignation letter
Shortly before he took over as Department of Education (DepEd) secretary, Sen. Juan Edgardo Angara resigned from the Senate. In a letter addressed to Senate President Francis Escudero, Angara said his resignation would take effect on Thursday, July 18.
“I have served our countrymen through the Senate of the Philippines for 11 years. And in that period, I have been able to shepherd landmark legislation making quality education and health care more accessible; increasing the take-home pay of our workers; increasing the social pensions of senior citizens; exempting persons with disabilities from the value-added tax; giving incentives to our national athletes and coaches; and providing bigger support to Tatak Pinoy industries, among many others,” Angara said in his resignation letter.
“The portfolio that I will be taking on as DepEd Secretary is riddled with very serious challenges. But I am confident that with your support and of the rest of my colleagues at the Senate, these challenges are surmountable,” he added. Angara takes over the DepEd post on July 19 from Vice President Sara Duterte (See related story on Page A7). —TINA G. SANTOS
