The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) issued a warning that it would harshly penalize drivers who disobey traffic laws, particularly those that use the EDSA Bus Carousel.
The organization requested that two drivers in particular be sanctioned in letters to the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
One was a cab driver who used the EDSA Bus Carousel to obstruct the movement of city buses on September 23 in Quezon City when 19 inches of floodwater impacted a section of the northbound lanes of EDSA at Gate 3.
The flood was caused by garbage, including a full panel of plywood, that clogged the drainage system in the region, and it took around two hours for EDSA’s traffic to resume.
Acting MMDA Chairman Romando Artes wrote in his letter that the anonymous cab driver should be punished for “irresponsible” behavior in addition to disobeying traffic signs and obstructing.
“Said irresponsible act not only aggravated the traffic congestion brought about by the flooding in the area due to heavy rain, it also burdened commuters by adding a considerable amount of time to their travel,” he said.
He said, “The driver of the subject vehicle is a menace on the road, having no regard for the safety of the fellow motorists, including persons on the road such as traffic personnel,” and suggested the driver should be fined for driving recklessly.
The EDSA Bus Carousel lane, which is located in the innermost lanes of EDSA and is only for city buses and emergency vehicles, has received many warnings from the MMDA to motorists.
