Tuesday, July 01, 2008 Official says drivers risk losing franchise; 6 men nabbed for ‘coercing’ others to join strike
THE Land Transportation Franchisng and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) will summon members of Nagkahiusang Drayber sa Sugbo (Nadsu) to explain why they abandoned their legal obligation to the public during yesterday’s transport strike.
LTFRB 7 Director Romulo Bernardes said that if Nadsu members can’t give a convincing reason why they staged the strike, their franchises will be revoked.
Yesterday morning, six men were arrested in Barangay Quiot-Pardo for allegedly harassing drivers. Police said the men threw metals spikes in the middle of the highway to dissuade other drivers from plying their routes.
Bernardes, meanwhile, said drivers have an obligation to the public, contained in their franchise or Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC). He said the strike they staged yesterday caused damage to thousands of people.
Privilege
Bernardes said a franchise to operate a jeepney is a privilege, not a right. If Nadsu members are found guilty of abandoning their obligation, this privilege will be canceled and the franchise revoked, he said.
Bernardes described yesterday’s transport strike by Nadsu as unfortunate, uncalled for, and without valid reasons.
He said drivers did not have a reason to go on strike because their petition for a P2.50 fare hike is still pending with the LTFRB central office. And even while the petition is pending, they were granted a P.50 probational increase, making the minimum fare P7 starting yesterday.
Bernardes said the Cebu City Traffic Operations and Management (Citom) and the Land Transportation Office (LTO) are now working with LTFRB to identify jeepneys that did not ply their routes yesterday and the units used in the rallies.
He said LTFRB will also summon the Cebu Integrated Transport Multi-Purpose Cooperative (Citrasco) and the Visayas United Transport Service Cooperative (Vudtrasco) to explain why several of their jeepneys did not ply their routes yesterday.
Threats
Bernardes, however, said operator Clifford Niñal called and informed him that his drivers did not ply their routes because of threats from Nadsu members.
Bernardes said that because of the strike, workers, students and even teachers suffered. He said the drivers “should be ready to face the consequences.”
On the other hand, Richard Cabucos, chairman of Metro Cebu Taxi Operators Association, said taxi drivers enjoyed a high income in yesterday’s strike.
At the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), Senior Supt. Patrocinio Comendador said several groups were trying to convince police to release the six men arrested for allegedly harassing driver.
Police, however, filed charges against them because they were caught allegedly in possession of 15 metal spikes.
Chief Insp. Aureo Sanchez, Pardo Police Chief, said that after the arrest, members of militant groups Karapatan, Bayan, Anakpawis, Kilusang Mayo Uno and Nadsu marched to the police station to demand the “immediate release” of the six.
However, Willy Sanchez Maravilles, Rolando Lanuyan Yuson, Rolando Narata Candida, Ramil Damul Jamili, Joel Bello Aniñon and Cesar Amazona Mangacot were brought to the City Prosecutor’s Office for the filing of charges.
The cases, however, were not filed in court because Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Fortunato de Gracia, Jr. cut working hours in the afternoon because of the strike.
Assistant Cebu City Prosecutor Ghandi Truya signed the information for grave coercion against the six drivers and recommended P2,000 as bail for each of them.
Maravilles, however, denied they planted spikes on the road. He said these may have been left by bystanders who wanted to create trouble.
Aniñon also said there was no need to coerce drivers into joining the strike because all those plying their routes were behind the protest action.
Comendador said they wanted to teach the six men a lesson and would not release them until charges are filed.
A jeepney driver reportedly complained to the police regarding the placing of metal spikes on the road. But, he did not file a complaint because he used tubeless tires and could continue driving.
There were other reports of harassment in Urgello and Capitol Site, but Comendador said they were unable to catch anyone because they quickly dispersed as soon as police arrived.
Claims
Comendador took exception to comments of militant groups who claimed the police were harassing them. He said doing so would go against their interest to keep the city peaceful and orderly.
“That (chaos) is the last thing we want,” he said.
The CCPO fielded its bust bus and two back-to-back vehicles while the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) provided two of its Special Reaction Unit (SRU) trucks to help ferry stranded passengers for free.
CPPO Director Carmelo Valmoria also ordered stations to send uniformed personnel to ride passenger buses proceeding to Cebu City to secure drivers who may be threatened by transport groups.
He said that as early as 1 a.m. yesterday, they already deployed police officers in possible choke points in Talisay City,
City of Naga, Danao City, Toledo City and Consolacion because they received reports that militant groups would try to harass other drivers into joining the strike.
One SRU truck was sent to ferry stranded passengers from Cebu City to Minglanilla, starting from the Cebu Provincial Capitol. Another SRU truck was sent to bring passengers from Cebu City to Liloan town.
Central Command and the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 also dispatched vehicles to help minimize the impact of the strike.
Comendador said the transport groups managed to paralyze public transportation by 60 to 70 percent.
He said the most affected routes were those coming from and going to Mandaue City and some parts in Talamban.
In other routes, he said “partial paralysis” was felt but that the overall situation was “manageable.”
“The strike comes at a time when there are those in dire need,” Comendador said, referring to victims of the sunken ferry mv Princess of the Stars.
He said they have had to juggle their personnel from the Cebu City Sports Complex, the Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes and then to attend to the strike. (EOB/MEA/JGA)
