Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 16) — Manibela is holding another protest on Tuesday, however it was delayed as some of its members were held by the police for at least two hours, the transport group’s chairman said.
“Hindi kami makapagproceed dahil doon sa mga na-ipit naming mga miyembro na hinarang ng ating mga kapulisan. Hindi natin alam kung bakit may mga checkpoints ngayon na nakalatag at nakahold sila ng halos dalawang oras na,” Manibela chairman Mar Valbuena told CNN Philippines’ The Source.
[Tranlation: We cannot proceed because some of our members were blocked by the police. We don’t know why there are checkpoints now and they were held for two hours.]
According to Valbuena, the affected members are from the National Capital Region, Bulacan, Cavite, and Laguna. If they committed a violation, authorities should just fine and release them, he said.
There were also four police trucks along España Boulevard in Manila, Valbuena said.
“Sa nakikita ko ngayon, overkill yung paglatag ng kapulisan sa España,” he said.
[Translation: What we see now in España is the police’s overkill.]
Manibela will be joined by PISTON during Tuesday’s protest. It will start at the University of the Philippine Diliman with a caravan until Welcome Rotonda in Quezon City, then proceed to Mendiola.
Valbuena said at least 10,000 members from Metro Manila alone are expected to join, as well as 5,000 others from the provinces to urge the government to extend the validity of their individual franchise.
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board has said unconsolidated jeepneys and operators will be considered “colorum” after Jan. 31. Random checks will be held in February to ensure only those who complied with consolidation are plying their routes, Office of Transport Cooperatives Chairman Andy Ortega said in another interview.
READ: DOTr official: Cooperatives ready to hire jeepney drivers
He said they will be asked to show proof they applied for consolidation and their Land Transportation Office registration. Those who do not have such documents will be apprehended, but the government will consider the sensitivity of the matter, Ortega said.
Given this, Valbuena said their members may stop operating next month.
