Arrest warrant vs Piston leader is part of rule of law, not harassment—Palace

George San Mateo, Piston president, discusses the jeepney modernization program in this file photo taken on Oct. 24, 2017, at the Pandesal Forum in Quezon City. (Photo by NOY MOSCOSO / INQUIRER.net)

Malacañang stood firm on Tuesday that the order to arrest transport leader George San Mateo was not a form of harassment and intimidation but a mere implementation of the rule of law.

READ: Piston leader ordered arrested over transport strike

“I think he was warned that as a holder of franchise of certificate of public convenience (CPC), it is criminal and it is illegal for them to participate in any tigil-pasada (transport strike),” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a press briefing.

“As I said it is also pursuant to a warrant of arrest duly issued by a court and therefore there can be no harassment here. We are just allowing the rule of law to prevail,” he added.

Roque emphasized that holding a CPC, an authorization issued for the operation of public services, is a privilege, not a right.

The Quezon City metropolitan trial court (MTC) has ordered the arrest of San Mateo for violating Section 20 (k) of Commonwealth Act No. 146 or the Public Service Law, which prohibits any public service to “adopt, maintain, or apply practices or measures, rules or regulations to which the public shall be subject in its relations with the public service.”

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) denounced the order to arrest San Mateo, saying it was pure “harassment” and “intimidation.” /jpv