Group threatens to sue Erap over Manila bus ban

MANILA, Philippines - A commuter protection group on Friday slammed the bus ban now being implemented in Manila and has threatened to sue Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada and other city officials.

Elvira Medina, president of the National Center for Commuter Safety and Protection (NCCSP), told reporters in Makati City that they are looking at filing a case against Estrada and other city officials for the implementation of the scheme which started last July 23.

Medina said she and the other members of the board at the NCCSP are also considering the possibility of asking the court for the issuance of a temporary restraining order against the scheme.

"It is going to be a long and tedious meeting among the board of trustees so that we can out out a program to handle the situation and look for legal ways to address it and probably, still work with social pressure," she said.

"A TRO could be one of them. We have a track record on this already," Medina added.

Medina, who claims to be a staunch supporter of Estrada, also lashed at the Manila mayor for allegedly being blind to the rights of commuters and for the lack of transparency and consultation on the bus ban.

"Open your eyes. Put the commuter within your sight. We do not know where he is coming from? Who advised him? We can never tell," she said.

"Kung sa kanya yun bakit di niya pinaalis yung mga bus na dumaadaan sa San Juan? (If it was really his idea, why did he not ban the buses that pass through San Juan when he was the mayor?) Medina added.

Medina said forcing commuters to alight from buses and ride on jeepneys when passing through Manila, would not only be imconvenient but also unsafe as commuters would be easy targets for criminals.

"Passengers of jeepney drivers are easy prey for criminals. I pity the commuters," she said.

Estrada, meanwhile, challenged those opposing the resolution that bans buses from entering the city to take their grievances to court.

The resolution, which states that city and provincial buses without existing terminals are barred from entering Manila, was met with criticism by bus operators and commuters, as well as the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

LTFRB Executive Director Roberto Cabrera said the resolution is illegal since it practically enforces a total ban of buses in the city.

Estrada refuted Cabrera's claim, saying it is within the local government's jurisdiction to regulate public transportation within its boundar

Estrada defended the city resolution, saying it will be implemented despite complaints from bus operators and the LTFRB as long as the riding public is benefitted.