LTO, LTFRB apprehend 6 motorbike drivers for illegal ‘Angkas’ operation

Authorities apprehended on Tuesday six motorcycle drivers who were found to be illegally operating their bikes as public utility vehicles (PUVs) through an unaccredited app-based motorcycle ride-sharing service.

According to the Land Transportation Office’s (LTO) law enforcement service, the six drivers affiliated with Angkas were flagged down on Tuesday morning along McKinley Street in Makati City in a joint operation with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

Enforcers were able to apprehend the drivers after the passengers admitted to authorities that they were not related to the drivers and that they availed themselves of Angkas’ services.

The crackdown comes two weeks after an Angkas passenger Alejandro Cajano met an accident in Manila that left him critically injured.

Currently, it is unclear yet what sanctions can be imposed against Angkas since it is not accredited by the LTFRB as a transport network company, and cannot qualify as one under existing rules. The LTO, on the other hand, only has jurisdiction over the registration of motorcycles and not on what drivers can do with them.

Following the apprehension, it appeared that Angkas has suspended its service on Tuesday as riders were not able to access the app. On its Facebook page though, Angkas said that they are only having technical issues with their app, which supposedly started on Monday.

In another Facebook page of Angkas riders, passengers were told to “cooperate” and “not to tell on” their drivers, pointing out that the app is a “big help” to commuters. The Inquirer sought Angkas’ comment on the apprehension of their drivers but has yet to receive a reply as of writing.

The apprehended drivers were cited for operating without a franchise while their motorcycles were impounded at the LTO’s office in Quezon City. The LTFRB said that they will conduct in the coming days a number of joint operations with the LTO against Angkas.

Based on its website, Angkas currently operates within Pasay, Pasig, Makati, Manila, San Juan, Caloocan, Taguig and Quezon City.