MMDA urged to suspend driver-only ban on EDSA
MANILA — Senators called for the suspension of the implementation of the expanded high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes in EDSA, which bans singlepassenger cars during rush hours.
Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri and Minority Leader Franklin Drilon filed Senate Resolution 845 on Wednesday, the first day of the implementation of the scheme.
In the resolution, the senators noted that the Metro Manila Council implemented the driveronly ban without public consultation and hearing.
“Whereas, it is not proven, empirical or otherwise, that indeed, seventy percent of motor vehicles plying EDSA is driver-only-driven,” the resolution read.
The senators also cited the concerns of experts and citizens who have expressed doubt on the success of HOV regulations in easing traffic congestion.
“Whereas, transport experts, including University of the Philippines Planning and Development Research Foundation’s Primitivo Cal, warned that such ‘piecemeal’ or ‘band-aid’ measure could even worsen traffic congestion as it could encourage the proliferation of unauthorized ‘for-hire’ vehicles or ‘colorum’, as shown by the recently scrapped Indonesian model,” the resolution said.
Recto, in a press release Wednesday afternoon, said that commuters have few alternatives “if there are not enough premium buses along EDSA and no MRT.” government service in 1987 as an assistant city fiscal in Laoag City. A year later, he was assigned to the Manila prosecutor’s office.
He became a criminal court judge of Quezon City in 1994, where he handled cases on heinous crimes and drug cases. During his stint, he received several commendations.
According to his profile on the SC website, Peralta was a “Bar reviewer, professor, lecturer and resource person in Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Remedial Law and Trial Technique in notable universities.”
Peralta penned the SC ruling that allowed the burial of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos’ remains at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.
Should Peralta be designated chief justice, he will hold the position until
March 27, 2022.
ANDRES REYES JR.
Reyes is the third appointee of President Rodrigo Duterte to the SC. He has been with the SC for a little more than a year.
He is a graduate of the Ateneo de Manila University.
He previously served the Metropolitan Trial Court in Makati City, Regional Trial Court of Makati City and Regional Trial Court of San Mateo, Rizal before he was appointed as a Court of Appeals justice in 1999.
Reyes was later named the presiding justice of the CA.
As the top judge of the appellate court, Reyes issued a joint statement with Sereno over the detention of the six employees of the Ilocos Norte local government. Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez, House speaker at the time, called the CA an “inferior court” and questioned its stand to release the “Ilocos Six.”
If Duterte appoints Reyes as chief justice, he will hold the position until May 2020.
VIRGINIA TEHANO-ANG
Ang is the lone Supreme Court outsider among the applicants for chief justice.
She sits as judge of the Tagum City Regional Trial Court Branch 1.
She received her law degree from Ateneo de Davao where she graduated cum laude.
In September 2014, Ang issued the arrest warrant against a suspect in the killing of Rogelio “Tata” Butalid, a local radio anchor.
If Duterte picks Ang as the next chief justice, she will hold the position until July 2023 when she reaches the mandatory retirement age of 70. —
Philstar.com