Mandaue foils rally of drivers

CEBU, Philippines – Mandaue City was peaceful during the start of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting despite the rally staged by a group of tricycle drivers yesterday in the city, said a police official.

Mandaue City Police Office chief, Senior Supt. Mariano Natu-el Jr., said members of Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide staged a protest along A.C. Cortes Avenue yesterday morning.

However, the protesters yielded to Natu-el's request to stop their action as President Benigno Aquino III and Liberal Party standard bearer Mar Roxas and APEC delegates were in Cebu yesterday. (Editor's note: Vice President Jejomar Binay and Senator Grace Poe, who may also run for president against Roxas, were also here yesterday.)

Natu-el said the Mandaue City Hall did not request for police deployment to have the protesters sent away.

Natu-el said the rally did not also affect the flow of traffic.

"Duna pa man dako nga space, at least wala naka-cause kaayo og traffic," he said.

He estimated that 50 to 60 tricycle drivers joined the rally.

The city director said the drivers dispersed peacefully and nobody resisted in ending the rally.

According to Natu-el, the protesters were asking the Land Transportation Office not to let the "abusive policemen" issue Temporary Operator's Permit  and to have the Joint Administrative Order 2014-01 abolished, among others.

Apart from the short protest staged by the tricycle drivers, the Mandaue City police did not observe any untoward incident concerning the APEC.

Natu-el said that security for the APEC was "okay".

They also did not receive any intelligence reports that "unwanted visitors" are coming to Mandaue in time for the APEC meetings.

"So far, wala ta ka-receive og mga intel report nga duna'y mga, let us say mga criminal character nga nangabot from other places going to Mandaue City," Natu-el said.