THE Police Regional Office in Davao region (PRO 11) has intensified its crackdown against colorum or unregistered public utility vehicles (PUVs) in close coordination with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
The campaign is in line with the directive of President Rodrigo Duterte to conduct a crackdown against colorum vehicles nationwide following the discovery that the bus involved in a crash in Occidental Mindoro did not have a franchise.
The Dimple Star Transport bus fell into a ravine, causing the death of 19 passengers.
“The thrust of our President Rodrigo Duterte with regards to his order on the colorum and unregistered vehicle is to eliminate operations of colorum vehicles,” PRO 11 spokesperson Chief Inspector Milgrace Driz said on Tuesday, March 27.
The PRO 11, LTFRB and LTO are jointly implementing the crackdown.
“Isa sa mga directives sa atong regional director is to conduct garage inspection. Gi-suggest niya nga if ever merong mga violators then everything will be done in coordination with the LTFRB and LTO since the PNP is in support (only),” Driz said.
She said that there was already a verbal instruction coming from the head of LTO 11 that the Highway Patrol Group (HPG 11) will be deputized to conduct operations especially in inspecting the franchise and apprehending the violators.
“Based on their directives, PNP or deputized PNP personnel are not allowed to apprehend on franchise-related apprehension,” she said.
Meanwhile, Davao City Police Office (DCPO) spokesperson Senior Inspector Ma. Teresita Gaspan said their office has been proactive in apprehending erring drivers and colorum vehicles, which are usually used in illegal activities, through the conduct of their Oplan Lambat Bitag.
The operation is done regularly to apprehend stolen and delinquent vehicles in Davao City.
It targets vehicles that lack certificates of registration and other documents.