LTFRB-7 enforcer gets ‘death threat’

CEBU, Philippines - The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board-7 may have to ask the police to strengthen their support to their enforcement activities after one of their anti-colorum enforcers allegedly received a death threat via text.

“Grabe na pud ning inyong gibuhat namo. Pasaylo ug naay mgamatay nato ha?. Sugod ta ihap sa adlaw ugma,” the text message allegedly read.

LTFRB-7 regional director Ahmed Cuizon said that this is clearly coming from those affected by their anti-colorum operations.

“They want their illegal activities to continue and we are an obstacle to them,” Cuizon said.

Cuizon added the enforcer has already reported the threat to the police.

The LTFRB has been intensifying its campaign against colorum vehicles, or vehicles taking on public conveyance without a franchise, for the past several months wherein they have apprehended vans-for-hire, and Uber and GrabCar ride-sharing cars.

The latest was the apprehension of two Grab Car units for operating illegally in the absence of a provisional authority for franchise issued by LTFRB.

Cuizon said transport network companies like Uber and Grab Car are legal but their Tranport Network Vehicles System units (cars) have no provisional authority and therefore are illegal.

“Dili ang Grab ug UBER ang nag-operate, they just provide the platform. The ones who actually drive without provisional authority are the ones who get caught in the act,” said Cuizon.

Cuizon said that currently there are 700 TNVS application pending before his office but he cannot approved them by virtue of the September 8, 2016 Memorandum Circular  issued by the LTFRB board chairman Martin Delgra III and board members Ronaldo Corpus and Aileen Lourdes Lizada.

Memorandum Circular #2016-012 states that “Pending review of existing policies and other relevant and pressing issues regarding the issuance of franchise to TNVS, the Board hereby orders the suspension of acceptance of all TNVS applications nationwide”. (FREEMAN)