MANILA, Philippines — In its efforts on the anti-colorum campaign, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) has filed a case against a driver and a jeepney owner who illegally used their vehicle to transport passengers.
According to the agency on Saturday, the driver Benito A. Ollete, and the owner Julhapas H. Tantong used their jeepney as a public utility vehicle (PUV) without the proper authority from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.
The LTO said that the case was filed against them for violating Section 18 relating to Section 24 of the Commonwealth Act 146, as amended by Republic Act 11659, or the Public Service Act.
Based on the charge sheet, the jeepney driven by Ollete was flagged down last October 25, and was found ferrying 17 passengers from Balintawak, Quezon City to Marilao, Bulacan, charging them P70 each.
The LTO said that Ollete was able to present his driver’s license, but the official receipt/certificate of registration he presented was for a van, and not a jeepney. He also failed to present a document proving that the jeepney was authorized to be used as a PUV.
The jeepney was eventually impounded, the agency noted. They also later identified that Tantong is its owner.
According to the LTO, the operation that flagged Ollete stemmed from an intelligence report about the rampant of colorum vehicles plying the route of Quezon City to Bulacan and vice versa.
“Ito ay isang patunay lamang na seryoso ang inyong LTO na wakasan ang ganitong klaseng iligal na gawain na nakakaperhuwisyo sa mga legitimate transport operators,” LTO Chief Assistant Secretary Atty. Vigor D. Mendoza II said in a statement.
(This is proof that the LTO is serious in its drive to end such illegal activities that burdens legitimate transport operators.)
He said the filing of the case was in compliance with Department of Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista’s directive to further intensify the anti-colorum drive. This is to ensure the safety of all road users, and as well help legitimate transport operators who lose 30% of their daily income due to colorum PUVs.
The LTO said that the penalty of the case filed against Ollete and Tantong is a fine not exceeding P2 million, or an imprisonment of six years and one day up to 12 years. A court also has a discretion to impose both penalties against the two.
Mendoza said that they will create a legal team to focus on the handling of the case.
“Personal kong tutukan ang kasong ito,” Mendoza said.
(I will personally monitor this case.)
“I hope that this will send a strong message to all the other drivers and operators of colorum PUVs to stop their illegal operations now,” he added.
If not, the assistant secretary said they will continue with their operations, and will never stop impounding and filing cases against illegal PUV operators.