March 29, 2024

Enforcers of the Land Transportation Office in the Cordillera have started using body cameras to show proof of a driver’s violation, legitimizing the apprehension and the public’s protection against misbehavior of personnel.
LTO Regional Director Francis Rae Almora said they have equipped their law enforcement officers with body cameras to record not just the legitimacy of the apprehension, but also to document their personnel’s manner of performing their job, guiding the office in case of complaints from the public.
“The body camera is a protection against sarcastic drivers and allegations of illegal apprehension because the camera can record everything even before they are flagged down,” Almora said.
The LTO bought 16 body cameras for the purpose.
Non-use of seatbelt is the top violation recorded by LTO. It is also the top incident where confrontations between driver and enforcer occur.
Almora said many drivers claim that they are being illegally apprehended when the truth is, they only wear their seatbelts when an enforcer is monitoring.
Penalty for non-use of seatbelt depends on the type of vehicle and the violator – driver or front-seat passenger.
The penalty for the driver of a public utility vehicle whose passenger is not using a seatbelt is P1,000, and if the front seat passenger is not using a seatbelt, the driver will be charged P3,000 on the first offense – P2,000 for the driver and P1,000 for the passenger.
Almora said the amount increases for repeat offenders. – PNA