Creation of traffic court gets support

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. expressed his support for the proposal to establish a traffic court to handle all traffic-related cases.

The idea to set-up a traffic court was raised recently by Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief Roberto Lastimoso as a means to stop corruption.

Abalos said that the idea of the traffic court is not new and is merely a revival of an old concept used during the 1950s.

He pointed out that a traffic court was created sometime in the 1950s for the City of Manila where most of the vehicles were concentrated. The court was presided over by a certain Judge Sangco.

Cases involving car accidents, reckless imprudence resulting to physical injury, damage to property and homicide would be handled by the special court as well as all of the other traffic cases.

Abalos said that the court was of great help to the motorists and the justice system as a whole.

Under the current system, the reckless imprudence cases go directly to the Metropolitan Trial Courts (MTCs).

With the revival of the traffic court, Abalos said that the case load of the MTCs would be reduced significantly.

The traffic court would be headed by a judge, with lawyers to serve as adjudication officers and prosecutors.

The court would fall under the Supreme Court which would ensure impartiality and fairness.

Abalos noted that the revival of the court would not affect the operations of the MMDA-Traffic Adjudication Board (TAB).

He said that the motorists would now have an alternative to the MMDA-TAB to contest their apprehensions. "It is a very good idea. The revival of the special court would benefit the motorists," Abalos said. — Marvin Sy