Bernardes snubs call for resignation

CEBU, Philippines - Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Regional Director Romulo Bernardez turned a cold shoulder on the call of taxi operators for him to resign amidst allegations of anomaly and the controversial implementation of a memorandum that appropriates abandoned and expired franchises.

Bernades said the sentiments of taxi operators seeking for his resignation do not represent those of the transport system in Cebu and the Visayas. He said the group of Richard Cabucos, president of the Metro Cebu Taxi Operators Association, and members Paul Corominas, Peter Corominas, Marites White and Jonald Ungab does not even comprise 30 percent of the entire transport system in the region.“Ila nang opinion but this group is not the transport system in region seven,” Bernardez said.

As this develops, leaders of other transport groups, associations and cooperatives in Cebu City and province expressed their support to Bernardes by signing a “manifesto of unwaivering support.”

Leading the campaign were Ryan Benjamin Yu, chairman of the Cebu Conferderation of Transport Operator and Drivers Inc.; Antonio Yap, chairman-emeritus of CCTODI, and CCTODI secretary Adonis Pagdali-an.

Other transport leaders supporting Bernardes include Julieto Flores, president of the Cebu South Mini-Bus Operators Association; Lester William Samuel Price, president of the Cebu Truckers Ass. Inc.; and Juan Dano, vice chairman of the Cebu Integrated Transport Services Inc.

Leaders of transport cooperatives that support the LTFRB chief include Alex Bordadora, chairman of the Visayas United Drivers Transport Service Cooperative; Michael Tejana, chairman of the Mactan International Airport Shuttle Service Cooperative; Armand de Gracia, chairman of the Alyansa sa Nagkahiusang Driver Alang sa Reporma; Archie Montesuso, chairman of the Danao PUJ Operators and Drivers Multi-purpose Cooperative; Efigenio Rodriguez, chairman of the Carmen Drivers, Conductors, Operators Multi-purpose Cooperative; Romeo Alvaro, chairman of the Danao City Shuttle Multi-purpose Cooperative; Juanito Mantuhac, chairman of the Liloan Operators and Drivers Transport Service Multi-purpose Cooperative; and Mario Ocon, chairman of the Consolacion Transport Service Multi-purpose Cooperative.

The three-page manifesto states that Bernardes is a public servant whose beliefs in the core values such as honesty and the necessity of transparency based on laws and regulations of the board are profoundly apparent in his conduct toward other people, organization and associations.

The manifesto also said Bernardes introduced Quality Management System, coming from an ISO qualified government office before joining LTFRB.

The group added that Bernardes envisioned a much organized system of processes, procedures and organization.

They also commended Bernardes’ achievement of acquiring the lot in Mandaue City where the P25 million LTFRB building now stands.

“We can therefore attest to the person of Bernardes being steadfast, honest and strong willed individual who have only good plans for the office as an organization and its clients who deserve no less than rightful and just service,” the manifesto reads.

The group of Cabucos earlier alleged that the implementation of Memorandum Circular No. 2009-035, which re-conveys abandoned and expired taxi franchises by accepting new applicants, is anomalous.They said LTFRB tried to keep the implementation of the memorandum “secret” to favor some operators.

Cabucos and his group already filed a petition before the Regional Trial Court to nullify the memorandum. They are also seeking for damages from LTFRB. Named respondents in the injunction case are Bernardes, LTFRB Chairman Alberto Suansing, and board members Gerardo Pinili and Ma. Ellen Dirige-Cabatu.

The petitioners alleged that the memorandum was issued in gross violation of Republic Act 9485 or the Anti-Red Tape Law because it did not undergo the required publication and public hearing.

The petitioners further claimed that said memorandum violated a previous circular imposing a moratorium on the issuance of new franchises.

According to the petitioners, the absence of transparency in the implementation of the said memorandum has favored only a few taxi operators who were given the chance to apply for new franchises.

They accused the LTFRB officials of irregularity in implementing the memorandum because the officials allegedly accepted applications even if they are still on the process of conducting an inventory to determine the number of abandoned and expired franchises.

The petitioners prayed that a permanent injunction be issued in their favor and they be paid jointly a total amount of P400,000 as actual and moral damages including attorney’s fees. They also demanded an additional P2,000 for every court appearance. — Fred P. Languido and Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/JMO   (FREEMAN NEWS)