Gov’t nets 97 ‘colorum’ vehicles

Close to 100 vehicles were apprehended during the anti-colorum operations conducted by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Inter-Agency Council for Traffic (I-ACT) on Monday.

In a report on Tuesday, the DOTr said 97 vehicles were flagged down due to various offenses in strategic points in Metro Manila.

The DOTr said a total of 91 Temporary Operators Permit and Ordinance Violation Receipts were issued to apprehended public and public vehicles.

Meanwhile, five jeepneys and one UV express were also flagged down for having “out of line operations.”

DOTr undersecretary and I-ACT head Tim Orbos said no one would be spared from the anti-colorum campaign of the government.

“Wag pagbibigyan iyang mga iyan. Walang arbor-arbor dito. Magkakapahiyaan lang tayo ‘pag pinilit ninyo,” Orbos said in a statement, following the report that an unnamed Manila Traffic Parking Bureau tried to get away after his jeepney was apprehended.

He further said the agency also flagged down jeepneys bearing signages of Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Orbos noted those jeepneys were not authorized by the Comelec to operate during the village and youth elections held May 14.

Meanwhile, DOTr Assistant Secretary for Special Concerns Eymard Eje said that appropriate fines and charges would be filed against the operators and drivers of the vehicles.

“Ang mandato natin nakatuon sa panghuhuli ng mga colorum na pampublikong sasakyan na ginagamit ng mga pulitiko na panghakot sa mga botante tuwing eleksyon. Kung flying voter man o hindi ang pasahero nila, sabit sila kapag colorum o out of line ang biyahe nila,” Eje said in the same statement.

Under Joint Administrative Order 2014-01, violators may be fined from P6,000 to P1,000,000, depending on the type of vehicle.

Violators could also be slapped with a minimum impounding period of three months, and a possible blacklisting and/or revocation of the Certificate of Public Convenience.            /kga