LTO Davao swoops down on Tagum City, apprehends 180 vehicles

TAGUM CITY, Davao del Norte, Oct. 8 (PNA) -- A 20-man operations team in a convoy of four Land Transportation Office (LTO) white pickup vehicles and motorcycle-riding deputized LTO agents wearing black sweat shirts recently swooped down Tagum City in a surprise checkpoint.

This resulted to apprehensions and citations of erring drivers of mostly single motorcycles violating the new helmet national policy.

LTO Davao transportation regulation officer Melencio Diaz Jr, said starting towards noon Thursday or less than an hour of operation, the team apprehended and cited 180 erring drivers of motorcycle and four-wheel vehicles for various offenses against LTO laws.

In subsequent check at LTO Tagum City office at Mankilam, offenses of drivers ranged from having no helmet, no shoes, no side mirror, no license, expired license and others.

Noel Itil, an LTO deputized agent said the special operations team has been going to various places throughout the region to implement the new LTO policy on motocycles.

After booking and endorsing the Temporary Operators Permit (TOP) citations of the erring drivers to LTO Tagum City office, he said they would continue their operations and he did not know their next destination.

One driver identified as Ben Casan, resident of Asuncion town, said for not wearing helmet he paid a fine of P1,577.63 inclusive of other charges.

Under the LTO AO No. AHS-2008-015 which prescribes the new rules for the use and operation of motorcycles on highways, popularly dubbed as helmet policy.

The violation of not wearing a prescribed helmet carries a fine of P1,500 compared to the P150 fine imposed in the city’s helmet ordinance.

The new LTO policy also requires single motorcycle drivers to wear shoes, have only one backrider, no cargo unless on standard saddle bag or luggage carrier, not to have defective accessories such as headlight, tail light, signal light, brake light, side mirror and horn, and not to modify any part of the original designs of a motorcycle or scooter without approval of the LTO.