Manila City Mayor Maria Sheilah "Honey" Lacuna-Pangan and her predecessor, former Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso, have been charged with plunder, graft, and violations of the Data Privacy Law before the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) in connection with the implementation of the no-contact apprehension policy (NCAP) for traffic violations.
The complaint was filed by lawyer Alexander T. Lopez, who ran for the post of Manila mayor but lost to Lacuna.
As of posting, neither Mayor Lacuna nor Moreno could be contacted. But once the OMB acts on the complaints and Mayor Lacuna and Moreno are required to submit their counter-affidavits, the Manila Bulletin will also publish their answer to the charges.
Lopez asked the OMB to charge Lacuna, Moreno, and QPAX Traffic Systems, Inc. Chief Executive Officer Manolo Steven M. Ona with violations of Republic Act No. 7080, plunder; RA 3019, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act; RA 10173, the Data Privacy Law; and RA 6713, the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards.
Lopez accused Mayor Lacuna of making the NCAP a "money-making machine, a corruption scheme disguised as a legitimate law enforcement tool." He said she has continued the "plundering" of the penalties collected from alleged traffic violations.
He said the purpose of the NCAP is to avoid robbery extortion, to ease traffic in Manila, and to "unburden" the government of past methods of implementing traffic rules and regulations.
But Lopez raised questions on the public-private partnership (PPP) entered into between the Manila City government and QPAX, since it manages the law enforcement side of NCAP and has a percentage share in the penalties for traffic violations.
He likewise questioned the technology of QPAX as not being suitable for NCAP, since its technology identifies the vehicle and its registered owner and not the driver behind the vehicle.
"The real offender is the driver and not the registered owner of the vehicle allegedly used to commit or has committed a traffic offense," he told the OMB in his complaint.
What is worse, he alleged, is that part of the penalties collected from the NCAP will go directly to QPAX through a percentage arrangement.
"Mayor Honey Lacuna is presumed to have a pecuniary benefit by allowing QPAX Traffic Systems, Inc. to get shares from the funds intended as payment for traffic violations," Lopez alleged.
Since 2020, he said that NCAP scheme for traffic violations has collected over P50 million already. It is like a "trap like a crocodile waiting for food,” he also alleged.
Lopez asked the OMB to preventively suspend Lacuna for a period of six months pending the resolution of the complaint because her continued stay in office might prejudice the case filed against her.
He also asked to OMB to order Lacuna’s dismissal as mayor and perpetually disqualified from holding public office.