No sanction vs those who joined the transport strike, Guadiz says
Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) chairman Teofilo Guadiz III assured on Monday, Nov, 20, that the agency will not impose any sanction on those who joined the transport strike.
“We are lenient, we recognize their right to air their grievances, to air their sentiments to the government,” said Guadiz.
But it would be a different story if protesting drivers and operators would harass other drivers who would not join the transport strike in the next two days of the three-day transport strike, according to Guadiz.
He said the LTFRB has the power to suspend or cancel the franchise of the drivers and operators who would harass their fellow drivers.
Among those offenses, according to Guadiz, are forcing other drivers to join the protest action and inflicting damage to the public utility vehicles or to the drivers who would not join the strike.
Guadiz said they understand the concerns of the protesting drivers and operators.
This is the reason, according to him, why the LTFRB wants to hold a dialogue with them to explain the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization program further.
The first day of the transport strike did not paralyze the public transport in Metro Manila, according to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authorirty (MMDA).
but the agency said around 100 vehicles were deployed and served more than 2,600 stranded commuters.
On the part of the National Capital Region Police Office, it said the first day of the transport strike was peaceful, with no untiward incident reported from any areas where the protest actions were held.