Transport group leader seeks lower fares, gets death threat

MANILA, Philippines - Transport leader Roberto Martin has received a death threat after proposing a fare reduction for public utility jeepneys.

Martin, national president of the group Pasang Masda, told police he received the death threat at around 7 a.m. on Friday.

In a report he filed with the Quezon City Police District, Martin, 66, said the threat came through a text message stating that if he wanted a fare reduction, it should only affect his members and not other drivers.

The sender also told him that he would follow one of his local leaders, who was killed in Quezon City a few years ago.

Last week, Martin said in an interview his group would volunteer a fare reduction from the current base fare of P8.50 to P8.

Martin said this was following the rollback in diesel prices, which is now at P37 per liter.

He said his group would file a petition for fare reduction with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.