Centralization of Traffic Violations Record

January 10, 1985

LETTER OF INSTRUCTIONS NO. 1444

CENTRALIZATION OF TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS RECORD

WHEREAS, Batas Pambansa Bilang 398, amending Republic Act No. 4136 has without prejudice to the authority of the Courts in appropriate cases, given the Bureau of Land Transportation, the exclusive power and authority to suspend or revoke, for cause, and driver's license issued under the provisions of said Act; cd

WHEREAS, there is a need to integrate and centralize all records of violations and disposition of traffic cases for the efficient collation and retrieval of information that may be required by any government agency or the public;

WHEREAS, it is imperatively necessary to have an efficient and accurate system of recording the adjudication of cases, involving land transportation and traffic violations, to ensure the effective removal of incompetent and unqualified drivers and to eradicate the use of spurious land transportation documents;

WHEREAS, the Bureau of Land Transportation presently owns and has, in its possession, an on-line computer system, capable of recording all transactions regarding driver licenses, the registration of motor vehicles and all apprehension cases of drivers and vehicles, among others;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby order and direct the following:

1. All law enforcement and peace officers and other agents duly designated by the Director of the Bureau of Land Transportation shall, within seventy-two (72) hours from the time of the apprehension, submit to the nearest Bureau of Land Transportation officer all cases of apprehension for violations of the traffic code and the existing laws and rules on land transportation.

2. In cases where the apprehension of the violator is uncontested, the Director of Land Transportation or his duly authorized representative, may, by way of administrative penalty, impose the charges prescribed under Section 56 of Republic Act 4136, as amended by Batas Pambansa 398.

3. Apprehension cases, for which charges or imputed violations of applicable traffic rules are being contested or denied or where the imposable penalty does not fall within the administrative and regulatory power of the Director of Land Transportation to impose, shall be referred, for disposition, to the appropriate fiscals office or Court which, in turn, shall submit a report, within seventy-two (72) hours from the date of disposition of the case, to the Director of the Bureau of Land Transportation, pursuant to Section 58 of Republic Act 4135.

4. The Bureau of Land Transportation shall maintain and make available an up-to-date and comprehensive record of all apprehension cases furnished hereunder by all law enforcement agencies and courts, as well as cases in which an administrative penalty is imposed, in accordance with the foregoing provisions.

5. The Director of the Bureau of Land Transportation hereby authorized to promulgate the necessary implementing rules and regulations hereof, subject to the approval of the Minister of Transportation and Communications.

6. These instructions shall be effective on January 1, 1985. acd

DONE in the City of Manila, this 10th day of January, 1985.