QUEZON CITY, (PIA) -- The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority got arrested a driver of a passenger van who escaped impounding of his vehicle after being apprehended for out-of-line violation in an operation conducted by Special Operations Group-Strike Force (SOG-SF) along EDSA- Quezon Avenue Northbound last night.

Composite team of MMDA, Department of the Interior and Local Government Special Project Group (DILG-SPG), and Land Transportation Office (LTO) arrested the driver named Florencio Gumpal in his residence in Caloocan.

MMDA Acting Chairman Atty. Don Artes said that the operation is part of the intensified efforts to curb colorum and out of line vehicles.

He likewise said that the MMDA is not tolerating 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 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 to 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 when 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. (JEG/PIA-NCR)