The Chair of the Senate committee on public services Senator Grace Poe on Tuesday expressed doubts over the arrest of the transport group Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (Piston) leader George San Mateo, saying that “PUV modernization program should be borne from a democratic process and not from underhanded tactics.”
“Although we respect the independence of the courts, the timing of the release of the arrest warrant is suspect and casts doubt on the intent of the complainant in filing such charges. The PUV modernization program should be borne from a democratic process and not from underhanded tactics. After all, it is through the labor and industry of these jeepney drivers and operators that our commuters are able to travel from one point to another despite the failure of the government to provide better mass transportation options,” Poe said.
Poe said that everyone has the right to peaceably assemble.
According to Poe, it was unclear what exact violation of the Public Service Act San Mateo had committed, adding that threatening him with incarceration was not the right penalty.
“Everyone has the right to peaceably assemble. It is unclear based on the cited section of the Public Service Act what exactly San Mateo violated. If holding a strike is tantamount to a violation under any memorandum of the LTFRB, then the proper penalty should have been a fine or suspension or cancellation of their franchise, not threatening their leader with incarceration,” she said.
“All told, this confusion is a manifestation that the PSA has to be revisited and studied carefully to result in a more balanced interplay between public service, on the one hand, and the right to peaceably assemble, on the other hand,” she added.
Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) board member Aileen Lizada announced on Tuesday that the court finds the existence of a probable cause for the issuance of a warrant of arrest against the accused San Mateo.
The PISTON head was charged with violating Section 20(k) of the Commonwealth Act 146 or the Public Service Law with a bail set at P4,000.
Poe is set to conduct a hearing on December 11 on the government’s jeepney modernization scheme.
“Piston and other transport groups have agreed to a dialogue called by my committee on Monday. With their entire livelihood at stake, the least we can do is hear them out. Moving forward, let us give them and other stakeholders a chance to explain so that we can resolve their issues together,” Poe said.
[READ: Court orders arrest of Piston leader over transport strike in February]
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