Stay out of bus lane, MMDA warns motorists amid hit-and-run

ROAD ACCIDENT. Metropolitan Manila Development Authority acting chair Romando Artes shows the video of an accident involving a motorcycle rider who died on the spot near the EDSA-Shaw underpass on Wednesday morning (June 14, 2023), during a press conference in their Pasig City office. The incident caused heavy traffic in the area. (PNA photo by Joan Bondoc)

MANILA – The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Wednesday warned motorists to stay out of the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) Bus Carousel Lane after a hit-and-run incident that killed a motorcycle rider.

During a press conference at the MMDA head office in Pasig City, MMDA acting chair Romando Artes said the rider and a white sports utility vehicle (SUV) were both traveling through the bus lane when the incident occurred.

The rider, Artes said, was hit by the SUV and was run over by a tanker traveling beside the bus lane in the EDSA Shaw Boulevard tunnel past 5 a.m.

“It is with profound sadness that this incident happened. We express our deepest condolences to the family of the rider. We pray for their comfort in this difficult time,” he said.

He reiterated that the bus lane is exclusively for passenger buses, ambulances, and marked government vehicles responding to emergencies.

“We keep on reminding motorists not to use the innermost lane of EDSA as it may result in an accident, but despite our repeated calls and pleas, many drivers of privately-owned vehicles and motorcycle riders disregard the policy,” he said.

Closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage of the incident and other evidence, he said, would be forwarded to the Philippine National Police (PNP) for further investigation.

He also called on the unidentified SUV driver to voluntarily surrender to the police.

He noted that there was an increase in the number of accidents in Metro Manila in the last quarter of 2022, coinciding with the suspension of the MMDA’s no contact apprehension policy (NCAP).

“The monitored traffic violations since the suspension of NCAP have also increased. In May of this year alone, 32,739 traffic violations were recorded. These traffic violations cause road accidents and slow down vehicular traffic,” he said.

In response, the MMDA will coordinate with the Office of the Solicitor General to review its data and to file a motion for the Supreme Court (SC) to consider lifting the temporary restraining order (TRO) imposed on the NCAP.

“We find it difficult to enforce the exclusivity of the said lane without the certainty of a CCTV-assisted apprehension, thereby exposing our motorcycle riders to a greater risk,” he said.

The SC issued the TRO against the MMDA’s NCAP on Aug. 30, 2022 after complaints from motorists and stakeholders in the transportation sector.