Nationwide transport strike begins on Oct. 16

A transport group will push through with its planned nationwide strike on Monday despite the recantation of the corruption allegations by a supposed whistleblower against the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB). Manibela chair Mar Valbuena warned that their biggest strike yet could last indefinitely until President Marcos heeds its members’ requests to suspend the implementation of the public utility vehicle modernization program and allow traditional jeepneys to continue to ply the roads beyond the Dec. 31 deadline given them. In a press briefing on Friday in Quezon City, Valbuena said thousands of jeepneys belonging to “80 percent” or at least 600 out of the 785 transportation routes in Metro Manila committed to participate in the stoppage of operations. Other transport groups in the provinces also said they would join the strike. Valbuena also believed that someone might be behind the recantation of former LTFRB Senior Executive Assistant Jeffrey Tumbado. Despite the turnaround of Tumbado, Valbuena said members of his group who fell victims of the corruption scheme would pursue filing complaints against the transport officials involved at the Office of the Ombudsman. ‘Ruta for sale’ Tumbado alleged at a press conference on Oct. 9 that LTFRB and Department of Transportation officials were practicing a “ruta for sale” scheme, requiring operators to pay transport officials up to P5 million to secure routes, franchises and special permits. He also claimed that aside from the bribery at the LTFRB central office, regional directors were also given quotas to produce P2 million a month. READ: LTFRB ‘whistleblower’ recants ‘lagayan’ allegation The revelation prompted Mr. Marcos to preventively suspend Guadiz, who denied the accusations. Mercy Paras Leynes, LTFRB board member, was named officer in charge. Transport Secretary Jaime Bautista also denied involvement in any form of corruption under his leadership in the agency, and warned that he would file charges against those “maligning” his reputation. Two days after his exposè, Tumbado retracted his statements, saying they “were borne out of impulse, irrational thinking, misjudgment, poor decision making and were encouraged by some individuals to make the statement, which may have added to my confusion and affected my better judgment.” Meanwhile, Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. has urged a House panel to investigate allegations of corruption in the public utility vehicle modernization program of the LTFRB. INQ Read more at: inquirer

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