Sunrays bus owner could face P1M fine

CEBU, Philippines - A Sunrays bus was the first to fall in the Land Transportation Office-7’s campaign to go after so-called colorum vehicles, which are now imposed a P1-million fine.

Last Thursday, LTO apprehended and impounded the passenger bus (GWF-633), owned by Jerel Transport Corporation, plying the Samboan-Oslob-Cebu City route.

LTO-7 Acting Director Arnel Tancinco said law enforcers stationed at the national highway in Barangay Lawaan, Talisay City flagged down the unit while it was on its way to Cebu City the other night.

It was discovered that  the bus’ chassis serial number did not coincide with those reflected in its certificate of registration while its engine number appeared to have been tampered with.

LTO-7 started enforcing Joint Administrative Order 2014-01 of the Department of Transportation and Communications last Thursday by conducting checkpoint operations.

The order was the subject of a strike that affected public transportation the same day in the cities of Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue and Cebu. The protest action was lifted only after Cebu City Michael Rama assured the drivers and operators that he would plead with DOTC.

The controversial order imposes a P1-million fine on operators of colorum buses, P200,000 on operators of colorum trucks and vans, P120,000 on those with colorum cars, P50,000 on colorum jeepney operators, and P6,000 on owners of colorum motorcycles, like the ones used as habal-habal.

Rama is set to meet officials of DOTC and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board next week to air the grievances of the Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON)-Cebu.

“I will bring your voices to the national office,” Rama assured the militant transport group.

“How they come up/arrive with such regulatory, confiscatory and oppressive penalties? What process they went through (in deciding on the amount)? What were their bases kay niabot man na og (since the fines run to) thousands and a million?” Rama said on the matters he wished clarified with DOTC Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya.

Bayan-Visayas chairman Jaime Paglinawan said that no consultations were conducted and that PISTON-Cebu was not also invited so its sentiments could be heard about the new set of fines.

Rama said he would appeal for the review, dismissal, or lowering of the fines and penalties stipulated in revised JAO 2012-01.

“Unsa man tan-aw nila sa mga drivers milyonaryo og financier? Penalty nga dagko kaayo di’ pud ko uyon ana. Penalty nga tinunto ako mobarog para kaninyo (What does DOTC and LTFRB think of the drivers, financed by millionaires?  I do not agree with the huge fines. I stand by you against these foolish penalties,)” he addressed the drivers and operators.

Rama, a lawyer, said penalties should be “corrective” and not “punitive, oppressive and unfair.”

PISTON-Cebu, which wanted JAO 2014-1 declared as “unconstitutional,” has also asked the Cebu City Council committee on transportation to review the City Ordinance No. 2207 (Traffic Code), particularly its penalty provisions.

PISTON-Cebu coordinator Greg Perez said President Benigno Aquino III should instead implement the P6 fuel subsidy in all gasoline stations for public utility vehicle drivers.

He said they likewise wished that the government suspend the 12 percent value-added tax on oil

Apparently to woo the sentiment of the pubic, Perez said they are also against any fare hike, adding that it is not timely to increase fares because there is also no increase in daily wage.

“Ang mga sumasakay kay nag-agwanta man pod sa taas nga mga presyo sa palitonon (The riding public are also suffering from the high prices of commodities),” he said, emphasizing that do not want to add more burden on the people.

His words aside, however, LTFRB-7 is set to conduct a public hearing Tuesday next week on the transport group’s petition to raise minimum fare from P7.50 to P10, or an increase of P2.50.

Yesterday, a representative of Sunrays Bus Lines, who requested anonymity, denied that their bus is a colorum, or it is used as public transport using false papers, although she admitted that its chassis has two different sets of serial numbers.

“Bag-o man g’yud na nga sakyanan nga gipalit namo sa Isuzu ug ang gamay nga numero mao kuno na ang production number ug ang dako nga numero mao g’yud ang chassis serial numbers,” said the source, who works in the bus company.

Alita Pulga LTO-7 assistant director, said the matter with the Sunrays bus would be referred to their adjudication section, where the bus owners would be required to submit documents on the bus’ purchase.

She said that it is their procedure that the LTO impounds a vehicle once there is an an indication that it is unregistered, like when the vehicle’s engine and chassis serial numbers do not match those in the certificate of registration.

Tancinco said LTO Chief Alfonso Tan Jr. had instructed all regional directors order their organic personnel to operate against olorum vehicles for one week starting June 19.  — Rene U. Borromeo, Kristine B. Quintas, Jean Marvette A. Demecillo/RHM (FREEMAN)