MANILA — Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson urged authorities to conduct more random checks on ambulances that make fake emergency runs, particularly during rush hour.

“More random checks on siren-blaring ‘ambulances’ especially during rush hours should be conducted. Drivers of vehicles with no emergency patients must be apprehended, their licenses revoked and charged, if warranted. Aside from (being) annoying, they can be traffic hazards,” Lacson said on X.

The call came after the Department of Transportation Special Action and Intelligence Committee for Transportation (DoTr-SAICT) stopped an ambulance at the EDSA Busway Santolan station. Investigation revealed the vehicle was being used not for emergencies but as a shuttle for passengers going to the hospital for checkups.

Lacson noted that such vehicles, which use loud sirens, are not only disruptive but also pose potential hazards to motorists and commuters.

Last year, he proposed reversing the direction of buses using the EDSA busway to discourage unauthorized vehicles, especially during peak hours. He also suggested providing proper infrastructure allowing commuters to get off at the center island rather than along the highway, where buses’ right-side doors could put passengers at risk.

The EDSA busway is a dedicated lane designed to give commuters a safer and more reliable transport option. Lacson said these measures would help prevent abuse by violators and reduce the risk of collisions.