MMDA knows strikers, can’t mete out immediate sanctions

THE Metro Manila Development Authority on Thursday asked the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to take action against the 80 bus operators who joined a transport strike Monday, but board chairman Nelson Laluces said the case against those involved could drag on to next year.

Chairman Francis Tolentino said the agency’s Traffic and Transport Management Office had identified the 80 bus firms and submitted a list to Laluces.

Laluces said the board had initially issued show-cause orders to at least 32 bus owners to explain why they must not be sanctioned for not fielding their buses on the first day that a government-imposed vehicle-reduction scheme came into effect.

“Yes, there was an official communication coming from MMDA requesting me to take the appropriate action against the strikers,” Laluces told the Manila Standard.

But the case could drag on for months.

“Those involved here numbered about 80 bus owners,” Laluces said.

“Each of them will be given due process, [but] we may not be able to resolve all of them by December.” Rio N. Araja, Manila Standard Today