Cebu intensifies campaign vs road counterflow

CEBU CITY – Apprehensions were aplenty in Cebu City’s intensified campaign against counterflowing motorists.

Cebu City Transporation Office (CCTO) operations chief Francisco Ouano said close to a hundred vehicles have been impounded two days after they strictly implemented an executive order that penalizes motorists caught counterflowing on the streets.

Ouano said most of the vehicles impounded were motorcycles.

The crackdown stemmed from an Executive Order No. 34 signed by Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña which “declares reckless driving pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act 4136 or the Traffic Code of the Philippines, City ordinance No.801 and other existing traffic rules and regulations nuisance per se, providing sanctions thereof and for other purposes.”

The executive order was signed by Osmeña last Feb. 2 and was implemented Feb, 5.

In the first day of implementation, the CCTO impounded more than 70 motorcycles, five private cars, one taxi and one public utility jeepney (PUJ).

As of 1 p.m., yesterday, CCTO was able to impound at least 20 more motorcycles, said Ouano.

The seized vehicles will be impounded for 30 days while the owners will be slappeid with a P500-fine.

The CCTO will also check if the driver of an apprehended vehicle has an unsettled fine.