MANILA — Members of the Inter-Agency Council for Traffic (I-ACT) on Monday apprehended various ‘colorum’ and out-of-line public utility vehicles (PUVs) that were transporting ‘flying’ voters for the barangay (village) and Sangguniang Kabataan (youth council) elections.
The operations were conducted in compliance with the directive of Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade for all the sectoral offices and attached agencies of the department to ensure peaceful and orderly elections.
In a statement, the I-ACT said that two jeepneys were apprehended carrying voters from Barangay Bagombong in Caloocan City to a barangay in Quezon City Monday morning.
One out-of-line jeepney traversing the MCU-Divisoria route was also found carrying passengers who paid PHP100 each for transport service.
The traffic council also nabbed a jeepney using a “Comelec SV 239-Bagombong ES” signage even without a permit from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to use such signage.
“We have verified with Comelec and they told us that they do not hire PUVs to transport voters to polling precincts. We will be preparing our spot report to Comelec for their information and appropriate actions,” Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) member and I-ACT spokesperson Aileen Lizada said in a text message to reporters.
I-ACT will conduct operations for the entire Election Day to apprehend operators and drivers who are using their PUVs to ferry voters who are outside of the line of their franchises particularly if they carry ‘flying’ voters.
I-ACT also called on the public to report suspected vehicles transporting ‘flying’ voters on its Facebook page or DOTr’s Action Center Hotline 7890.
Meanwhile, the LTFRB said it will be coordinating with Comelec to assist public school teachers who are serving as Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) on their transportation needs in preparation for next year’s national and local elections.
The Board wants to prevent a situation wherein PUVs on the road might be operating out-of-line if they will transport BEI members to various polling precincts.
“We will be coordinating with Comelec for future election activities. If there is a need for BEIs for PUVs we will assist them. Kasi po ang mangyayari (What would happen is that) they will hire PUVs on the road na idadala sila sa mga presinto at ma-out of line ang ating mga PUVs (that will bring them to polling precincts would be cited to be out-of-line). We don’t want any situation na ganoon (like that) so we will reach out to Comelec para (so that) we can assist BEIs nationwide on their transportation requirements in preparation for the elections next year,” Lizada said. (PNA)
