Gov’t threatens to impose sanctions vs participants of transport strike

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque (Photo by JOAN BONDOC / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Malacañang warned on Tuesday that there will be “legal consequences” awaiting jeepney drivers and operators who will join the transport strike scheduled next week.

“The LTFRB (Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board) is correct in saying that the holders of public franchise and conveniences are precluded from joining such action,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a press briefing.

“And therefore expect that their participation will come with the legal consequences, as far as the award of the certificate of public convenience is concerned,” he added.

READ: Piston to stage another 2-day transport strike next week

The No to Jeepney Phaseout Coalition led by left-leaning transport group, Piston, is set to hold its fourth transport strike on December 4 to 5, to protest the Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) modernization plan that include the phase out of old public utility jeepneys.

When asked if President Rodrigo Duterte would announce suspension of classes, Roque said the administration would “do everything” to protect passengers from the inconvenience that would be caused by the transport strike.

“Kung nag-desisyon ang Palasyo dati na kanselahin ang klase, kasi hindi pa siguro alam ng gobyerno kung ganung kalawak ‘yung suporta at ayaw nilang magkaroon ng aberya ang ating mga mag-aaral,” Roque said.

(If the Palace decided to cancel the classes last time, maybe the government did not know yet the scale of support the strike would get, and the decision was made so that it would not be an inconvenience to our students.)

“So ganyan po ‘yung konteksto na naman na gagawa ng desisyon ang gobyerno, gagawin ang lahat para maprotektahan ang mananakay sa kahit anong aberya na magiging resulta ng transport strike,” he added.

(So that’s the same context in which the government has to decide, we will do everything to protect the passengers from any inconvenience that will result from the transport strike.)

Last October, the transport group Piston led a two-day strike, prompting Malacañang to suspend government work and classes nationwide.

The protest irked President Rodrido Duterte, who in a profanity-laced speech, said that he does not care if those against the modernization program would go hungry. /jpv

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