The allegations by Councilor Edilberto Torres were also echoed by Alex Quimson, president of the Association of Pedicab Drivers and Operators of Malabon (APOM) yesterday. Quimson said that EO 04-02 signed on Jan. 16, 2002 by Malabon Mayor Amado Vicencio is also now being used as "milking cow" by certain city officials to the detriment of pedicab drivers.
Torres said the EO is defective in the sense that the one signed by Vicencio differed from the draft originally deliberated on and prepared. Quimson said the copy signed by the mayor showed an alleged "insertion" (Article 6) which referred to the no pedicab zone.
He also said that the EO made by the mayor, must not supersede a municipal ordinance created by the city council. Quimson referred to an ordinance approved 10 years ago (Ordinance 1492) which provided that the mayor can designate alternate routes, one which was later allegedly inserted.
"Although it is not specifically stated, the article, by application or if implemented, is a virtual phase-out of pedicabs. While allowing motorized tricycles to ply their route there, the pedicabs are banned. There must be a uniform application of the law here. This is repressive. This is anti-poor," Quimson demanded.
Quimson claimed that pedicab drivers caught violating the EO have been, on many occasions, coerced into forking out hard-earned money if they demanded traffic citation tickets (TCTs).
"Gusto mo ng ticket (TCT), mas magagastusan ka," said one ranking official of the City Hall’s Public Safety Office, whom Quimson declined to name.
He referred to instances when violators would be asked to just come across with an amount lower than that imposed by the law, provided no official receipts were issued for the violation.
"This has been going on for years. Kung maaari lang, di baling magastusan kami basta mapunta lang ang multa (fines) sa kaban ng bayan at hindi sa kanilang bulsa," Quimson said.
In a meeting last Wednesday with Quimson and association members, Vicencio assured them the issue would be investigated and the allegations verified. – Jerry Botial