TRUST me. I know where he’s coming from. So before you vilify him, put yourself in his shoes.
Land Transportation Office (LTO) 7 Director Victor Emmanuel Caindec recently admitted that they were bashed on social media after they went after Angkas and habal-habal drivers last Saturday, Dec. 15. But, as he reasoned, he was only doing his job by enforcing Republic Act 4136, or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code. A provision of that law states that motorcycles are not allowed to carry paying passengers. Or something like that.
“We will apprehend all Angkas and habal-habal on sight to show to the people that we are implementing the law and nobody is above the law,” he said.
It’s not like he has a choice.
Of course, since we are approaching election season, I’m sure many politicians or candidates will take up the cudgels for the affected motorcycle drivers and the thousands or maybe millions of commuters who will have to find an alternative mode of transport.
But I don’t know what kind of spin they’ll use. Because, after all, they’ll be going up against the law. They can’t well say that the public can ignore one law but must heed the others. It doesn’t work that way. So incumbent officials and aspirants will have to tread carefully. Or, they can heed Caindec’s advice.
“Officials who are in favor of Angkas and habal-habal must go to Congress and amend the law,” he said.
Well, there you go. If these officials are really serious about helping a big segment of society that relies on this service, then they should lobby for the law to be amended. Or is that how it works? Either way, something must be done. This impasse cannot continue.
Not only will many people lose their livelihood, those who live in areas where public transportation does not go will end up getting stranded. Meanwhile, members of the LTO, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and the Highway Patrol Group who apprehend Angkas and habal-habal drivers and impound their motorcycles will become fodder for negative publicity on the internet. Or worse.
I understand Caindec’s situation. The way I see it, he is caught between a rock and a hard place. But perhaps he can tone down his rhetoric. There’s no need to rub it in the public’s face. It doesn’t help when he says something like, “I will not hesitate to fill the LTO impounding area with motorcycles illegally used for Angkas and habal-habal.”
In the meantime, all stakeholders should sit down and try to come up with a win-win solution. I honestly don’t know what that will be, but they should at least try. For everyone’s sake.