The Land Transportation Office (LTO-6) will deputize more policemen in Antique for better implementation of traffic laws.

Antique Police Provincial Office (APPO) Deputy Director for Operations Lt. Col. Norby Escobar said LTO-6 will train the additional police personnel who will be deputized.

“We have two LTO deputized police personnel in each of the 18 municipalities of the province,” Escobar said.

The APPO aims to deputize six police personnel in each of the 18 municipalities of Antique, he added.

“With more LTO deputized police personnel, there will be a better implementation of the traffic laws,” he said.

Escobar said last week the police apprehended 820 motorcycle riders for violation of the Motorcycle Helmet Act of 2009 as a result of the 1,722 checkpoint operations in the province.

“There were also 794 operations conducted in the campaign on Children’s Safety on Motorcycle Act of 2015,” he said. The 794 operations resulted in 12 apprehensions.

Escobar said the additional police personnel who will be deputized will undergo a one-day training on February 12 and they are expected to learn more about traffic laws.

The deputized police force will help the LTO enforce traffic laws and apprehend violators.

Escobar noted that if the police are strengthening the implementation of traffic laws, it will also redound to the motorists’ own good.

“The police are just doing its job to ensure the safety of the motorists and their passengers,” he said.

Escobar added that the police would like to implement at least three checkpoints in a day in the municipalities to ensure the compliance of the motorists.

The LTO is the lone government agency responsible for all land transportations in the country and the only one that issues a driver’s license. Only the LTO and its deputized officers are allowed to confiscate the license for traffic violations.PNA