MRT, LRT service temporarily stopped

Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza ordered the Metro Rail Transit (MRT), Light Rail Transit Line 1 and 2 to temporarily stop operations late yesterday morning to ensure the safety and security of the riding public in the wake of the rebellion taking place in Makati City.

Thousands were, however, caught unaware of the order and were inconvenienced by the abrupt halt of the rail lines’ operations.

Atty. Zosimo Mendoza, LRT Authority administrator Teodoro Cruz’s chief-of-staff, told The STAR that the three rail lines’ operations were stopped to ensure that they would not be used by the coup plotters.

Atty. Mendoza explained that the MRT has an Ayala station near the Oakwood Plaza.

DOTC Undersecretary Arturo Valdez, for his part, said the operations of the rail lines will immediately resume when the Makati conflict is finished and the peace and order situation is controlled.

"That is to be expected. We don’t need people moving around unnecessarily in these dangerous times," Valdez told The Star. – Rainier Allan Ronda