An electric vehicle (EV) with a green plate was caught by NCAP due to number coding, even though EVs are exempted from it. The incident has sparked online debate about trust in the system.
According to the owner, they immediately contested the violation. The footage from the NCAP camera in Mandaluyong showed that the violation was “Driving in ignorance of traffic restriction on plate number” with Violation Code: 1116.
Many netizens reacted and said that NCAP should have a database to easily know if a vehicle is hybrid or electric. They added that contests are a big hassle because they waste time and work, and sometimes there is no punishment for the wrong result.
In the Philippines, electric and hybrid vehicles are not covered by the number coding scheme. They also have special license plates that are green to make them easier to distinguish from gas or diesel vehicles.
The NCAP is a system used by the MMDA where motorists are caught using CCTV cameras. Its goal is road discipline and to prevent malagay or extortion. But because of this incident, the public has increasingly questioned whether the system is reliable.
