Manila: The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has imposed a 90-day preventive suspension on the driver's license of a motorcycle rider from San Juan City who obscured his license plate to circumvent the government's No-Contact Apprehension Policy (NCAP) in Metro Manila.

According to Philippines News Agency, LTO chief Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II revealed that the driver was identified after a Facebook post showing the violation went viral. The post, captioned 'NCAP? No problem, magaya nga (I'll copy this),' depicted a motorcycle rider wearing a Move It helmet with the license plate's last three letters obscured by packaging tape.

In response to the violation, the LTO has not only suspended the driver's license but also summoned him for a hearing at the LTO Central Office. The rider is required to submit a written explanation, as mandated by a show cause order, detailing why he should not face further penalties. The ongoing investigation aims to confirm whether the registered owner was responsible for the act of covering the license plate.

Additionally, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has reminded motorists that obscuring license plates incurs a penalty of PHP5,000. For context, other traffic violations such as illegal counterflow result in a PHP1,000 fine for first offenders, speeding carries a PHP1,000 fine, reckless driving can lead to a PHP2,000 fine, and number coding violations result in a PHP500 fine.

The NCAP was reinstated in key Metro Manila roads following the lifting of a temporary restraining order. This move is intended to manage potential traffic disruptions due to the Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) rebuild project, which began on June 13. Currently, the NCAP is undergoing a one-month dry run, during which violators receive a notice of violation but are not fined.