Authorities issue tickets to 71 drivers of non-essential vehicles plying EDSA

Authorities have issued tickets to at least 71 unauthorized individuals who continue to drive along EDSA despite the enhanced community quarantine, data from Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) chief Police Brigadier General Eliseo Cruz showed on Thursday.

According to Cruz, 38 tickets were issued to drivers in the morning of Wednesday while 33 others were issued to drivers of non-essential vehicles in the afternoon of the same day.

In a Dobol B sa News TV interview, PNP spokesman Police Brigadier General Bernard Banac said operatives from the HPG and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) would continue their intensified operations against vehicles who had no business to travel.

Banac said authorities are expecting that the number of vehicles traversing EDSA will decrease following this latest measure of the HPG and MMDA.

"Simula kahapon, nabigyan na ng warning ang publiko kaya maaaring sa araw na ito ay bababa 'yung bilang ng sasakyan na hindi otorisado..." Banac said.

Banac said the drivers could be penalized with a fine ranging from P700 to P1,000: "Hindi rin ito biro, ang mahirap kapag nagkapatong-patong ito," he said.

The PNP official urged the public to follow the guidelines of the enhanced community quarantine which was extended until April 30.

"Lahat po ay pinaaalalahanan na kung di po tayo otorisadong lumabas eh huwag na pong lumabas. Kung di tayo otorisado ay tiyak po matitiketan tayo. Huwag na po kayo magbaka-sakali," Banac said. --KBK, GMA News