A BILL has been filed in the House of Representatives seeking higher fines and prison terms for operators and owners of "out-of-line" or colorum public utility buses (PUBs) and vehicles (PUVs).
Angkla Party-list Representative Jesulito Manalo said that one of the primary causes of road tragedies is the unabated and blatant operation of colorum vehicles, which are considered as "menaces that further clog the roads."
Manalo, author of House Bill 4086 or the Anti-colorum Act, said the measure will impose a P1 million penalty for colorum Public Utility Buses (PUBs); P200,000 for UV Express vans; P125,000 for Taxicabs; and P50,000 Public Utility Jeepneys (PUJs).
The bill added that the owner and operator of a colorum vehicle "shall be meted out the penalty of imprisonment of prision correccional (six months and one day to six years) in its maximum period or a fine, or both, subject to the discretion of the trial court hearing the case."
Manalo added that the driver's license of the person found driving the colorum motor vehicle, whether he is the owner, operator or the latter's personnel, shall be immediately confiscated and suspended for a period of twelve months for the first offense and perpetually revoked for the second offense.
"Perpetual revocation should be understood to completely disqualify said driver from being granted any type of driver's license thereafter," Manalo said.
He said the apprehended vehicle will be permanently confiscated by the Land Transportation, Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
Manalo's measure also provides that if the offense as contained in the Revised Penal Code also imposes a fine, the court shall order its imposition of a fine not less than P200,000 but not more than P1 million.
"It is unfortunate that amidst the many public land transport mechanisms presently in force, there are also numerous traffic and vehicular accidents that are encountered, most of which result in injury and even to loss of lives," Manalo said.
During the hearing of the House committee on Metro Manila Development last February, LTFRB chairman Winston Ginez the above mentioned penalties but still urged the Congress to ask the Congress to file a bill which will strengthen its grip in the future.
"Kapag administrative lang kasi, pag nag palit na ng pinuno ng bansa, baka hinder in maipagpatuloy but pag naisabatas yung mga bagong multa, ay talagang susunod na ang mga operators sa sinasabi ng batas," Ginez said. (Sunnex)