A TRANSPORTATION and Communication director who earlier ordered a ban in the operation of taxicabs and jeepneys with fraudulent certificates of public convenience is now proposing the possibility of giving them an amnesty.

Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) Regional Director Federico Mandapat Jr. said the proposal was not formally made but he brought up the possibility in one of the meetings of the Traffic and Transportation Management Committee (TTMC) and with Councilor Antonio Tabora Jr., a member of the City Council committee on public utilities.

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Due to an existing moratorium that regulates approval of CPCs in or touching Baguio, a City Council resolution is required before new CPCs are approved.

In an interview aired over government radio station dzEQ, Mandapat said "buyers in good faith" should be given an amnesty for humanitarian reasons.

Buyers in good faith include those who bought taxi units with supposed "legal franchises" but learned later on the corresponding CPC was fraudulently issued.

He said when he took over as director, many sold their CPCs at bargain price to recoup payments they made earlier for the "processing" of CPCs.

He said many became victims of "fixers" within the DOTC in the past.

The proposed amnesty would cover around 1,000 taxi units.

Mandapat said it would be up to the City Council to decide if it will favor an amnesty to those who allegedly became victims.