Mayor turns down NADSU's request

While the City Council committee on traffic management is yet to render its decision over the request of the Nagkahiusang Drayber sa Sugbo to restore the 21 B and 22 B routes for the public utility jeepneys from Mandaue City, Mayor Tomas Osmeña already turned down the request.

"No. They already filed a case in court," Osmeña said when sought for his reaction after NADSU, through its president Anthony Pogado, submitted a two-page position paper to the council.

The committee, chaired by Councilor Raul Alcoseba, is due to render its report two weeks from now.

NADSU had earlier requested the release of 70 PUJ units plying Mandaue City-Cebu City routes that the City Traffic Operations Management impounded because of traffic ordinance violations.

The city government has started to implement Ordinance 1837 mandating that PUJs from outside the city should unload and get passengers only at designated terminals.

The ordinance stated that PUJs plying the Mandaue City-Jones Avenue route should stop at the Ayala Center Cebu terminal while those that ply the Mandaue City-Manalili Street route should only be allowed up to the North Reclamation Area.

The drivers have proposed a compromise deal and asked that the Citom designate the last number of a jeepney's plate that can enter the city on certain days, a suggestion that Osmeña rejected.

"I'm sick and tired of their threats. The violation of the drivers is not acceptable but malicious and open defiance of law," the mayor said.

If the drivers will insist on going back to their original routes, Osmeña said that, "going out your routes is clearly an open defiance. Patigasan na ilang buhaton. They file a case, its fine."

However, Pogado said: "Tataw nga dili tinguha sa syudad sa Sugbo ang pag-decongest sa Jones Avenue. Ang klaro tumong sa arbitraryong pag-imposar sa ordinansa mao ang pagwagtang sa mga PUJ ug pulihan sa mga bus." - Garry B. Lao