The Supreme Court has dismissed consolidated petitions challenging the No Contact Apprehension Program (NCAP), ruling that the issues had become moot and academic after Metro Manila adopted a uniform traffic enforcement framework that replaced the local ordinances being questioned. The decision, promulgated on June 3 and penned by Associate Justice Rodil V. Zalameda, effectively ends legal challenges to the NCAP system. The ruling was first reported by BusinessWorld.
The NCAP uses cameras and sensors to detect traffic violations and issue citations without physical apprehension by enforcers. Petitioners had argued that the program violated due process and privacy rights. However, the Court found that the enactment of a new Metro Manila-wide traffic code rendered the original ordinances obsolete, making the petitions moot. The decision highlights the evolving regulatory landscape for traffic enforcement in the capital region.
With the dismissal, local government units are expected to align their traffic enforcement systems with the uniform framework. The ruling sets a precedent for similar automated enforcement programs in other parts of the country, as long as they are backed by clear legal authority. The Court did not rule on the constitutionality of NCAP itself, leaving the door open for future challenges under the new framework.