SC orders MMDA to answer pleas vs EDSA bus ban

MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court has ordered the government to answer the petitions challenging the proposed bus ban along EDSA.

The SC, in a full court session Tuesday, ordered the Metro Manila Development Authority to comment on the three petitions assailing MMDA Regulation No. 19-002.

The MMDA has 10 days to file its answer, the SC Public Information Office said.

The SC PIO also said that the court consolidated the three petitions filed before it, asking the tribunal to strike down the said government regulation as null and void.

The directive was set to be fully implemented in June 2019, but the MMDA has earlier suspended its enforcement.

A STAR report earlier this week quoted MMDA traffic czar Bong Nebrija as saying that they are waiting for the go signal of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and the Department of Transportation on the bus ban.

Three petitions

On April 29, AKO Bicol party-list chairperson Aderma Angelie Alcazar and its incumbent representatives at the House, Ronald Ang and Alfredo Garbin Jr., filed a petition for certiorari against the MMDA resolution.

Almost a month later, Rep. Joey Salcedo (Albay) filed another plea assailing the same policy. The Makabayan bloc filed its petition on June 7.

The petitioners argued that the Metro Manila Council approved the policy proposal of the MMDA without public consultations or hearings. AKO Bicol party-list pointed out that the regulation was issued “solely on the basis of the verbal directive.”

Salceda, meanwhile, cited 2017 figures that showed daily traffic on EDSA consists of 3,300 provincial buses, which is lower than the 12,000 city buses and 247,000 private vehicles plying the major thoroughfare.

He also pointed out that this regulation affected mostly “poor people, if not, small time businessmen from the provinces carrying their goods to and from Metro Manila or travel to the big city for some other personal business.”

The Makabayan bloc also echoed the other petitioners’ argument that the MMDA exceeded its issuance of the bus band policy because jurisprudence states that it does not possess legislative or police power.

“Considering that MMDA is not equipped with police and legislative powers, verily it violates the due process rights not just of the affected buses but also the affected public,” their petition read.