Colorum driver who fled MMDA impounding area arrested
A DRIVER of a colorum vehicle who escaped before reaching the impounding area of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) in Pasay City after being apprehended for out-of-line violation was arrested in a follow-up operation Wednesday evening in Caloocan City.
Composite team of MMDA, Department of the Interior and Local Government Special Project Group (DILG-SPG), and Land Transportation Office (LTO) arrested the driver, identified as Florencio Gumpal, in his residence in Tanigue St. in Dagat-dagatan, near the headquarters ng Northern Police District (NPD) in Caloocan City past 6 p.m.
MMDA Acting Chairman Atty. Don Artes said that the operation was part of the intensified efforts to curb colorum and out-of-line vehicles.
He likewise said that the MMDA does not tolerate motorists and drivers who escape apprehensions and ensure that they will be meted with penalties.
“We will enforce traffic rules and regulations to make our roads safe for all its users,” he said.
MMDA Special Operations Group-Special Force (SOG-SF) Head Gabriel Go narrated that the UV express driver was flagged down for plying EDSA Quezon Avenue when it was not allowed to traverse EDSA as its route is from SM North to TM Kalaw based on the body marking of the vehicle.
Go added that the apprehending team said that about 150 meters away from the MMDA’s impounding site in HK Sun Plaza in Pasay, Gumpal didn’t enter the area and escaped from the convoy despite having ticketed and his driver’s license confiscated.
Gumpal defended that he didn’t flee the scene and instead returned to the area but found no enforcers, thus prompting him to go home.
Go said that Gumpal’s alibi is unacceptable.
“He took the chance to escape while we were apprehending another colorum van on our way to the impounding site. It’s very unlikely for him to get lost as our nighttime anti-colorum operation team doesn’t come in big groups to avoid untoward incidents,” Go explained.
Gumpal, meanwhile, said that he will no longer disobey the law and will not contest any of the violations issued by the MMDA and police force.
Aside from the out of line violation, the driver will face charges of resistance and disobedience to persons in authority. The vehicle will be turned over to the police for proper disposition.
