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The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory
Board warned operators of public utility vehicles that they might be
violating their respective franchises if they allow their units to
be used in transporting rallyists.
Regulatory board Chairman
Thompson Lantion issued the reminder because of the planned series
of protests being organized by antigovernment groups next week.
Lantion said units caught
transporting protesters to rally sites can be cited for being
out-of-line. In this violation, the penalty is fine of P1,000 and
suspension of drivers’ license for a week.
Militant groups normally rent
jeeps and buses to transport their members to protest sites.
The regulatory board allows such
operation if the operator first secures a special permit from the
board, Lantion said.
Militant and cause-oriented
groups will hold protests on Monday to commemorate the 1986 EDSA
People Power 1 that ousted then President Ferdinand Marcos.
The rally will be staged in
different sites, from Baguio to Mindanao, to call for the
resignation of President Gloria Arroyo on account of alleged massive
graft and corruption in the national broadband deal and other
government contracts.
Thousands are expected to join an
Interfaith Rally for Truth, Justice and Accountability scheduled for
February 29 at the Rizal Park, after a series of nationwide protest
actions starting on Monday.
Sources say it is expected to
dwarf the Makati City protest staged February 14 that was attended
by about 13,000 people.
“Our action on Monday will be a
build-up toward what could become a big Interfaith prayer Rally for
Truth, Justice and Accountability that was announced by Catholic
bishops last Tuesday,” said Secretary-General Renato Reyes of
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), a federation of antigovernment
groups.
At Mendiola
In Manila on Friday, the city
government granted Bayan a permit to protest at the historic
Mendiola bridge on Monday to commemorate the 22nd anniversary of
People Power 1.
Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim said the
group was allowed to hold a protest there because Monday is a
holiday.
Lim has a standing policy to
allow rallies at Mendiola only on Saturdays, Sundays or holidays.
This is to avoid creating heavy traffic in the area that will
disrupt work and classes in the nearby establishments and schools.
In a memorandum issued Thursday,
Manila Police chief Roberto Rosales said that “in view of the
forthcoming rallies and demonstrations to be staged by militant and
opposition groups,” full alert status was declared effective 6
a.m. on Friday.
--Jefferson Antiporda, Ruben D. Manahan 4th and Rommel C.
Lontayao
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