Gov. Joseph Marañon and Senior Supt. Charles Calima, police provincial director, yesterday reiterated their orders for patrols to be conducted along Negros Occidental's highways, to ensure that roads are cleared of obstructions that have been causing deadly road accidents lately.

Stalled vehicles, especially those without early warning devices, and spilled sugarcane have been blamed for numerous mishaps.

Marañon said he reminded the Provincial Disaster Management Team, that is part of the Provincial Road Safety Task Force, to stick to his directive to make sure highways are safe and free of obstructions.

The governor, who called on the mayors to help, said efforts to ensure road safety must be stepped up especially during the long Holy Week holidays.

Calima said patrols will be conducted to ensure removal of obstructions along the highways. In areas where there are obstructions, local patrol teams should stay and direct traffic until the traffic hazard is removed, he said.

The governor said the Provincial Road Safety Task Force's job is to take preventive measures against mishaps, not to take on the task of traffic enforcement as that is the job of the Land Transportation Office and the Philippine National Police.

There are rumors that money is involved in the so called Bantay Dalan enforcement operations, Jose Ma. Valencia, chief of staff of Marañon said.

We are asking those with complaints to give names and evidence so action can be taken, he said.

We do not want the name of the provincial government dragged into this controversy, Valencia said.

PDMT head Vifran Defante said the governor has directed the taskforce to coordinate with local officials for the creation of road safety task forces in towns and cities.

However, as in the case of Manapla where three people died in a road accident yesterday, its local government along with those in several other areas, have yet to organize their road safety task forces.

Manapla Mayor Manuel Escalante said while his town has no road safety task force the police conducts highway patrols.

The Provincial Road Safety Task Force cannot patrol the entire province 24 hours a day, that is why local task forces in towns and cities are needed, Defante said.

"Sad to say there are mayors who have not given priority to road safety," he said.

He said he will submit the names of local governments that have not created their road safety task forces yet to Valencia.*CPG

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