Duterte threatens to shoot jeepney operators… with rubber bullets

MANILA, Philippines — If transport operators and jeepney drivers refuse to comply with the jeepney modernization program, President Duterte is prepared to have them shot – with rubber bullets. 

The President issued the warning yesterday in a joking manner as he said he would not mind if his efforts to force jeepney operators to upgrade their vehicles would lead to turmoil. 

“Piston said they won’t comply,” he said, referring to the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide. “OK, let’s see. I’m preparing the Armed Forces and police to buy rubber bullets, prepare for truncheons.”

“I will really tow you. I don’t care if we go into turmoil. That is what I like, we go best in a turmoil. Talagang guguyurin ko mga sasakyan ninyo (I will really tow your vehicles). The law is the law is the law, he said during the awarding of the most child-friendly municipalities and cities at Malacañang

Piston members have been staging protests against the PUV (public utility vehicle) modernization program, which they claimed would lead to fare hikes and additional expenses for transport operators. 

The program seeks to upgrade PUVs to reduce smoke emissions that cause air pollution. 

“Look guys. We all know we are being killed almost everyday slowly. You can see the fumes – you should see Manila at sunset. It’s not mist, but you will see it’s floating all over the city. That’s fumes, carbon dioxide and all,” Duterte said. 

Last October, Duterte gave Piston until the end of the year to upgrade their vehicles or he would have them towed. 

He also accused the transport group of exploiting the issue and of being involved in “one big conspiracy.”

“Here comes Piston and the rest of the left. They are making a big deal out of it. I said go ahead, demonstrate. I don’t mind even if you do that twice or thrice a month,” the President said in a speech in Camarines Sur last Oct. 17.

“I am telling Piston and the rest of the left. They are all legal. I am just telling the truth. (Human rights group) Karapatan, KMU (Kilusang Mayo Uno), Piston, they are just the legal fronts of the Communist Party of the Philippines. It’s one big conspiracy. All of them are committing right now rebellion,” he added.

According to Duterte, public interest dictates that the government implement the PUV modernization program despite efforts by Piston to block it.

“I am the President. Either you kill me or you follow me. If the law is not followed, son of a b****, we have to kill each other,” he said. 

Transportation officials insisted yesterday the government is ready for the implementation of the PUV modernization program.

Transportation Undersecretary Thomas Orbos said the government is prepared for the modernization.

Sen. Grace Poe, who heads the Senate committee on public services, said Monday government officials still have to iron out several flaws of the program, saying it is impossible for the project to be rolled out in three years as around 230,000 public utility jeepneys are involved.

She also expressed concern whether the jeepney drivers and operators could cope with the estimated price range of  P1.5 million to P1.8 million for a newjeepney with the government only subsidizing P80,000 of the total cost.

Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Chairman Martin Delgra III said the initial phase of the program will actually start this Friday in Tacloban City.

Three routes will be inaugurated in Tacloban to serve people who are now at resettlement areas after they were displaced by Super Typhoon Yolanda. Each route will have around 15 units.

Delgra said the modernization program will also be implemented in other areas during the three-year transition period in Metro Manila, Angeles City in Pampanga and Cagayan de Oro City.