The Supreme Court (SC) has partially lifted the temporary restraining order (TRO) it issued in 2022 against the implementation of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority’s (MMDA) no-contact apprehension policy (NCAP), allowing its reimplementation along major thoroughfares in Metro Manila.
SC spokesperson Camille Ting said Tuesday that the Court granted the urgent motion of the Office of the Solicitor General, filed on behalf of the MMDA, to lift the TRO issued on August 30, 2022, but only with respect to MMDA operations along key roads like EDSA and C-5.
Ting clarified that the TRO remains in effect for NCAP ordinances implemented by local government units (LGUs), which are still under legal review.
The TRO was originally issued in response to petitions filed by transport groups questioning the constitutionality of the NCAP.
In its motion filed on May 8, the MMDA said the partial lifting was necessary to improve traffic enforcement in Metro Manila, citing that its current traffic management efforts are insufficient without the aid of NCAP.
The MMDA reported that since the TRO was imposed, around 833,097 traffic violations were recorded by its CCTV cameras up to April 2025. For March alone, 12,566 violations were documented—exceeding the monthly average of 9,500 before the policy was suspended.
The agency emphasized that the expected rehabilitation of EDSA starting mid-May would worsen traffic congestion and force vehicles onto secondary roads, making manual enforcement increasingly difficult.
“With the expected diversion of vehicles to alternate routes and interior roads, the limited manpower of the MMDA and deputized personnel is insufficient to handle the situation,” the MMDA said in its motion.
The SC’s partial lifting allows the MMDA to resume using NCAP on major thoroughfares while deliberations continue regarding its broader application, especially in LGUs.