‘No such list showing CCTV cams’ location’

Part of the supposedly wrong list of the MMDA’s CCTV traffic camera locations

THE HEAD of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has criticized the release online of a list showing the supposed locations of its closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras on Edsa, Commonwealth Avenue and C-5.

MMDA Chair Emerson Carlos also stressed in a radio interview on Sunday that the list got “less than five” of the locations correct. “And the spelling of Roxas is wrong. What is written is ‘Roaxas Boulevard,’” he pointed out.

“If you know where the cameras are, why do you need to brag that the camera is there? And to top it off, you publish [a list],” Carlos added.

The list of the alleged locations of the 34 CCTV cameras—among the 250 installed all over Metro Manila for the implementation of the agency’s “no-contact” apprehension policy—came out on April 27 on the Facebook page of an automotive magazine.

Since the start of the re-implementation of the MMDA’s contactless policy on April 15, it has not revealed the location of its CCTV cameras to avoid alerting motorists and ensure their compliance with traffic rules at all times.

Under the no-contact apprehension system, the MMDA monitors violations committed by drivers through its network of CCTV cameras. Errant motorists are then sent a notice which they should respond to within seven days.

Since its publication on April 27, the supposed list of the locations of the agency’s CCTV cameras on the three major thoroughfares has been shared more than 12,000 times.

“We are asking what their motive is [for the publication of the list] … why do you want motorists to avoid [the cameras]? That appears to be a bad motive,” Carlos said. He added that all the agency wanted with the relaunching of the system was to instill “overall discipline” in drivers. -Kristine Felisse Mangunay