Sufficient number of cops to be deployed for Monday transport strike, PNP says
The Philippine National Police (PNP) will deploy policemen in areas where drivers and operators of a transport group will converge during a transport strike on Monday, Oct. 16.
PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo also urged the members of transport group Manibela to police their own ranks in order to avoid unnecessary confrontation with the policemen that will be deployed.
“We want to assure the public that the PNP has a sufficient number of personnel that will be deployed in areas where the protest actions would be held. Our personnel patrol in these areas,” said Fajardo.
Manibela chairman Mar Valbuena earlier said that aside from the transport strike, they will also hold a protest action in front of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) office in Quezon City to demand accountability in the alleged corruption activities in the agency involving franchise approval.
President Marcos has already suspended LTFRB chairman Teofilo Guadiz III pending the result of the ongoing investigation which started when his former executive assistant claimed rampant corruption in the agency that also allegedly reached the office of Department of Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista.
Guadiz’s former executive assistant Jeff Tumbado, however, already retracted his statement in an affidavit submitted to a Quezon city court.
Fajardo, on the other hand, urged the protesting transport group not to compel other drivers to join them in their strike.
“We will respect their right to air their sentiments but they should also respect the right of other drivers not to join,” said Fajardo.
Manibela said the transport strike will be primarily in Metro Manila, Central Luzon and Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon).
Several local government units have already declared suspension of classes while a number of them have committed to deploy vehicles to assist the passengers who would be stranded.