Jeepney drivers seek Supreme Court help

MANILA, Philippines — A group of jeepney drivers filed a petition before the Supreme Court (SC) yesterday, claiming that the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) have no police powers to suspend public transport and deprive them of livelihood for four months.

The National Confederation of Transport Workers’ (NCTU), represented by its president Ernesto Cruz, and 16 jeepney drivers filed before the SC a 65-page petition questioning the constitutionality of some of the orders issued by the LTFRB, IATF and DOTr.

The petitioners asked the SC to give due course to their petition and to schedule oral arguments.

They said the government agencies violated the principle of separation of powers in releasing issuances that suspended public transportation, discriminated against traditional public utility jeepneys and disregarded their right to due process.