Almost three years after the Supreme Court suspended the no-contact apprehension policy (NCAP), it has partially lifted the temporary restraining order (TRO) against it, which means NCAP will be implemented immediately.

Areas covered by NCAP based on the temporary TRO lifting include areas covered by MMDA like EDSA and C5. NCAP policies under LGUs remain suspended.

MMDA requested for the lifting of the temporary restraining order through the Office of the Solicitor General, citing that it needs to fully implement its road and traffic management programs to ease traffic congestion especially with EDSA set to be rehabilitated starting June 13. While NCAP is set to be back immediately, Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra said that MMDA needs to refine its Single Ticketing System to harmonize with existing national and local traffic enforcement laws.

“While the MMDA’s Single Ticketing System marks a major step toward uniform traffic enforcement, it is not by itself, sufficient to address Metro Manila’s worsening traffic situation,” Guevarra said. “The MMDA cannot reasonably apprehend all these flagrant violations due to its limited personnel available for deployment to guarantee compliance with traffic regulations.”

While NCAP is set to return, it was once described as unconstitutional by transport groups. One of the aspects that’s heavily contested is that the payment of fines is done by the registered owner of the vehicle and not the driver in violation.