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THE Land Transportation Office (LTO) warned taxi operators and
drivers who fail to appear on the day of their scheduled hearing
that they face serious sanctions.
Fernando Quiambao, executive assistant to LTO
head Reynaldo Berroya, said taxi operators and drivers who been
apprehended and summoned under the agency’s “Oplan Isnabero”
campaign might get into bigger trouble if they will ignore the
agency’s invitation to give their side on the complaints filed
against them.
“If they [operators and drivers] think that
they can easily get away by ignoring the LTO invitation, they are
mistaken because those operators who will ignore us will immediately
be included in our alarm list,” Quiambao said.
He explained once an operator or a vehicle is
included in the alarm list, it will be difficult for them to renew
their vehicle registration.
“They will surely be in trouble several months
after when they apply for vehicle registration renewal,” Quiambao
said.
The LTO is continuously conducting hearings on
Oplan Isnabero cases everyday since the second week of January. An
average of 20 cases are being heard by the agency. By second week of
February, the agency will release the latest list of drivers whose
licenses will be suspended.
The LTO last year suspended more than 1,000 taxi
drivers in connection with Oplan Isnabero. This year, the agency
expects the number of drivers to be penalized to double because the
public is now aware of the seriousness of the campaign.
Quiambao clarified the campaign’s objective is
to make sure that all public utility vehicle drivers and operators
are complying with the provisions stated in their certificate of
public convenience or franchise issued to them by the government.
-- Jefferson Antiporda
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