Mike won't heed memo from DILG

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama will not comply with the memorandum of Department of the Interior and Local Government-7 director Pedro Noval discouraging local government units from using cargo trucks to transport people.

Rama said he would ask Noval to reconsider his order because government cargo trucks are much safer than motorcycles-for-hire or “habal-habals.”

“Kanang mga cargo truck mas luwas pa man nga sakyan ilabi na og paingon sa bukid kay anang mga habal-habal. Mohangyo ko ana og reconsideration sa order ni Director Noval,” he said.

He said he would still allow the use of the city’s cargo trucks to transport people, particularly those from mountain barangays where transportation is scarce.

According to the mayor, cargo trucks are among the vehicles that the city uses to fetch stranded passengers during transport strikes.

But Land Transportation Office-7 director Raul Aguilos said government officials should set as example by complying with the DILG order.

Cargo trucks passing the Transcentral Highway are usually loaded with passengers due to the lack of public utility vehicles.

The issue of whether to allow passengers to ride cargo trucks cropped up after a dump truck owned by the municipality of Barili overturned during a funeral, killing 10 passengers and injuring dozens.

“Kon magmatngon lang tingali og drive nga dili lang magkiat-kiat dili man tingali maaksidente,” said an old passenger of a cargo truck bound for a mountain barangay in Cebu City.

Instead of prohibiting the use of cargo trucks to transport people, Rama said the right thing to do is to retrain drivers on safe driving and subject the vehicles to road worthiness test. 

Charges filed

Meanwhile, formal charges have been filed against the driver of the dump truck that figured in Thursday’s accident in Barili.

Alwin Bayno faces charges of reckless imprudence resulting to multiple homicides and physical injuries.

The charges were filed Friday morning by PO2 Hector Veloso and PO2 Ildefonso Cotas before the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.

According to PO2 Gerard Laurong of the Barili Police Station, the charges were filed after they finished making the affidavits of the families of the victims and checking the brakes of the truck.

In order to accommodate more people, the wake of the 10 fatalities was held at the Barili gymnasium.

Before their burial this afternoon, a Holy Mass will be held at the town’s church around 1 p.m.

Barili Mayor Teresito Mariñas said the families want to immediately burry their dead since they could no longer bear their grief.

Following the issuance of the DILG-7 memorandum, Mariñas said he has no choice but to follow the directive.

Although afraid that his poor constituents will be affected by the memorandum, Mariñas assures that he would look for ways to solve the problem.

“Ang ato lang sigurong himoon, mangita ta’g og paagi aron matabangan gihapon nato sila kay luoy pod tawon ang mga kaigsuonan nato nga taga bukid nga layo kaayo ilang lugar kon lakwon,” he said. — /LPM (FREEMAN)