By Rjay Zuriaga Castor
An Ilongga lawmaker has introduced a bill aimed at protecting drivers who are not at fault in vehicular accidents.
House Deputy Majority Leader and Iloilo City Lone District Representative Julienne “Jam-Jam” Baronda has introduced House Bill No. 10262, also known as the “Fair Treatment of Individuals Involved in Traffic Accidents Act.”
“The rationale behind this legislation lies in the recognition of the potential for injustice and undue hardship that can result from the indiscriminate detention of individuals following traffic accidents,” states a dispositive part of the bill.
Baronda noted that, often, individuals who are not at fault find themselves subjected to prolonged detention despite clear evidence supporting their innocence.
She cited an incident on March 11 in Quezon City, where an SUV driver involved in a fatal collision with a counterflowing motorcycle rider on Skyway Stage 3 was detained for several days even though all evidence indicated the driver was not at fault.
Such situations violate individuals’ rights and erode public confidence in the justice system and law enforcement, Baronda emphasized.
The bill stipulates that individuals should be released within 12 hours of apprehension if all evidence, upon thorough investigation and attestation by the chief of police within the relevant territorial jurisdiction, points to their lack of fault in the traffic accident.
Furthermore, traffic investigators are required to submit their findings within six hours of completing their investigation.
If the investigation and the police chief’s attestation confirm the driver’s innocence, they must be released within three hours of the attestation.
The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Transportation.
