IACT impounds shuttles for private firm workers

MANILA, Philippines — Even as the government encouraged private firms to offer rides to their personnel who were struggling to get to work, three vans being used as a shuttle service by employees of a business process outsourcing company were impounded on Monday over the lack of proper documents.

The private vehicles were apprehended by the Interagency Council for Traffic’s (IACT) Team Eagle personnel led by Col. Ceferino Decena on Chino Roces Extension, Makati City.

According to IACT, the “colorum” vans violated the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board’s Memorandum Circular No. 2019-003 that required private vehicles being used for shuttle services to be covered by a three-year lease contract between the renter and vehicle owner.

The owners of the impounded vehicles face hefty fines of P200,000 under Joint Administrative Order No. 2014-01 of the Department of Transportation.

Their apprehension, however, drew flak from some netizens who were quick to draw comparisons between the treatment accorded to ordinary citizens and some VIPs.

“The government is arresting Filipinos struggling to survive in this health crisis, but corrupt government officials get an easy pass? God bless us,” one of them commented on the IACT’s official Facebook page.

The IACT resumed its campaign against traffic violators on June 1 as some public utility vehicles returned to the streets after Metro Manila was placed under general community quarantine.