OSG wants more time to answer fare hike pleas

MANILA, Philippines - The Office of the Solicitor General sought more time in answering petitions in the Supreme Court (SC) questioning the fare increase in the Light Rail Transit (LRT) and Metro Rail Transit (MRT) lines.

In a seven-page motion, Solicitor General Florin Hilbay asked the high court to allow the OSG to submit its answer to the petitions on Feb. 23 in behalf of the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC).

The OSG was given until last Monday, Jan. 26, to file its comment to the consolidated petitions of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), former Iloilo Rep. Augusto Syjuco, Bayan Muna party-list group and United Filipino Consumers and Commuters Inc. (UFCC).

He told the SC that the OSG was not able to gather necessary documents to defend the government’s case since offices were closed during the papal visit.

In a resolution last Jan.13, the SC ordered the DOTC Secretary Jose Emilio Abaya and other respondents – MRT officer-in-charge Renato San Jose, LRT Authority administrator Honorito Chaneco, MRT Corp. and the Light Rail Manila Consortium of Ayala and Metro Pacific – to answer the petitions.

The high court deferred ruling on the plea for the issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) and opted to first consider the answers of respondents to the consolidated petitions before deciding on the plea.

The petitioners accused the DOTC of committing grave abuse of discretion in approving the increase and also of violating the constitutional right to due process of millions of mass transit commuters since there was allegedly no consultation held prior to implementation of the fare adjustment.