Arthur Tugade cracks whip on Angkas drivers

MANILA, Philippines — Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade yesterday ordered a crackdown on drivers of motorcycle ride-hailing application Angkas who continue to defy the order of the Supreme Court (SC) to stop operations.

He directed the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to intensify operations after receiving reports that Angkas bikers continue to operate despite a temporary restraining order (TRO) from the SC.

“When the court issued a TRO against the DOTr (Department of Transportation), we complied. We hope they would do the same. The rule of law must always prevail,”  Tugade said in a statement.

LTFRB records show that at least 44 Angkas bikers were apprehended in Metro Manila and Cebu since last week.

Tugade said under Republic Act 4136 or the Land Transportation and Traffic Codes, motorcycles are banned from being used for hire. He warned that Angkas operations are, by law, colorum, and therefore do not provide any regulatory safeguard and accountability for commuter safety and welfare.

He cited data from the Philippine National Police (PNP), which stated that 5,105 motorcycle accidents occurred nationwide in the first 10 months of the year.

Tugade said a report from the Department of Health last year showed that 19,852 cases or 65 percent of road accident victims were involved in motorcycle crashes.

“The price of a swift and cheap ride may be your life,” Tugade said.

LTFRB executive director Samuel Jardin, for his part, said violators could be cited in contempt for violating a direct order from the highest court in the country.

Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito, who chairs the Senate committee on public services, said Angkas should respect the SC order.

“I understand their situation but the safety of commuters is paramount,” he said, adding that there are no laws that govern Angkas and that would be problematic when its members are involved in accidents.

Congressmen back ride-hailing app

Three congressmen yesterday aired their support for Angkas.

Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo, who heads the House of Representatives committee on Metro Manila development, said that last June, he asked the DOTr and LTFRB to include motorcycles in their accredited ride-hailing groups. The two agencies allowed only four-wheeled vehicles so far.

Manila Rep. Cristal Bagatsing said regulation, not prohibition, “is the answer, since informal motorcycle service is already the main transportation choice of thousands of commuters, even before Angkas came into the picture.”

Rep. Rodel Batocabe of party-list group Ako Bicol said the SC TRO “does not consider the marginalized sectors of society that do not only rely on Angkas for an affordable yet efficient transport service but also as a platform for livelihood.”  – With Paolo Romero, Jess Diaz