BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – The Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) is hoping that the current tension between operators of traditional and modern public utility jeepneys (PUJs) in the city will be resolved and won’t escalate into an open conflict.
BCPO director, Police Colonel Thomas Joseph Martir, said based on the information they have gathered so far, most of the issues between the two PUJ groups could be regarded as “small misunderstandings” only.
He said traditional PUJ operators and drivers have the right to voice out what they feel to the government, although he also advised them not to resort to violence.
Over the past few months, several traditional PUJ operators have confronted the operators of modern PUJs over passenger loading zones. Some were even noted to have nearly gotten into physical altercations.
Earlier on Tuesday, Nov. 8, hundreds of traditional PUJ operators in the city camped outside the Bacolod City Government Center asking for a dialogue with the city officials.
The “camp out” stemmed from Monday’s actions by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to apprehend PUJs operating without or with incomplete documents and franchise permits.
The city government would later agree to a 15-day moratorium; LTO will temporarily stop apprehending PUJs and to give way to a dialogue between the traditional PUJ operators, the city government, LTO, and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
Although it could be regarded by traditional PUJ operators as a “partial victory”, some members of the groups threatened to go on transport strike if issues regarding their franchise permits are not resolved within the 15-day period./PN
