Rep. Guingona backs plea of transport groups

CEBU, Philippines - President Gloria Arroyo should direct the Land Transportation Office to stop the implementation of Department Order 2008-39, which increases the fines and penalties for traffic violations, said Deputy Minority Leader Rep. Teofisto Guingona III.

Guingona expressed support to the plea of the transport groups for the government to scrap the order. 

Various transport groups nationwide complained that they were not properly consulted prior the implementation of the said department order. According to them, the penalty and fines are grossly exorbitant considering that the country is experiencing a financial crisis.

Jeepney drivers are complaining against the 500 percent increase in fines and other violation penalties.

The groups recommended that instead of an increase of fines for minor violations, penalties for “colorum” (unregistered) and out-of-line operators should be raised.

“I believe that at the onset, this new order appears unacceptable because it has compromised a basic tenet in the imposition of increased fines in a democracy —the application of a consultative approach,” Guingona said in a press statement sent to The FREEMAN.

He added that for jeepney drivers who earn an average of P200 to P250 daily, a 500 percent increase in fines without the proper consultation is logically unjust.

On the other hand, the Land Transportation Office-7 is firm on its stand to continuously implement the department order.

LTO-7 regional director Raul Aguilos said that the best action to be taken is not to violate anymore traffic rules and regulations.

Aguilos together with Cebu’s jeepney drivers conducted a dialogue early this month but Aguilos said he cannot stop the implementation of the said department order as it comes from higher authorities.

Last month, LTO-7 started the implementation of Department Order 2008-39 increasing fines for traffic violations, dubbed by the transport sector as “very unreasonable and exorbitant”. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/WAB (THE FREEMAN)