The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Tuesday, Nov. 28, boosted its efforts in running after EDSA bus lane violators by creating a strike force.

MMDA Assistant General Manager for Operations Asec. David Angelo Vargas and deputy officer-in-charge Gabriel Go will lead the unit named Special Operation Group whose main tasks includes going against unauthorized motor vehicle owners using the EDSA busway.

Vargas said the apprehending officers would wear body-worn cameras with them to serve "as a protection for the enforcers and the apprehended matorists (sic)."

"Our body-worn cameras are connected to our Communications and Command Center and its feed cannot be edited and the device cannot be turned off, as well," the MMDA official said.

"This also eliminates hearsays and he-said-she-said arguments," he added.

Vargas also noted that the higher fines on EDSA Busway violations have been effective, citing a decline in the number of apprehended motorcycle drivers.

On Tuesday, MMDA reported issuing citation tickets to 41 erring riders over EDSA Busway violation — 23 of which are motorcycles, 17 are four-wheeled vehicles, and 1 public utility bus.

During the first week of imposing stiffer fines, MMDA registered 1,262 apprehended motorists and 345 last week.