DRIVERS and operators of public utility jeepneys in Pangasinan, who claimed to have been deprived of their income for years on account of the enforcement of traffic ordinances enacted in 2005 and 2002, have filed a civil case against Mayor Benjamin Lim and members of the city council.

The case was filed by the Alliance   of   United Transport Organization  Incorporated (Autocorp) headed by Benny Aquino, a province-wide organization of  18 jeepney drivers and operators  associations whose units are plying routes in Dagupan City.

The two-page petition of Autocorp was filed by Aquino through their legal counsel Antonio Tiong who is himself a jeepney operator in Bonuan Gueset, Dagupan City.

The petitioners denounced Ordinance No. 1848-2005 which authorized the implementation of the modified license plate number double-coding system in the city aimed at decongesting vehicular traffic.

They also denounced Section 3 of Article VIII of City Ordinance No. 1748 which created the Traffic Management Council whom they accused of not being transparent in its functions and duties.

The petitioners stated that Sections 3, 4 and 7 of Ordinance No. 1848-2005 are “manifestly arbitrary, oppressive, unreasonable, capricious vague, discriminatory and confiscatory amounting to gross and trenchant violation of the Philippine Constitution.”

Autocorp, composed of drivers and operators, stated that the enforcement of the provisions of Ordinance No. 1848-2005 had adversely affected their rights and interests aside from depriving them of their legitimate incomes.

Aquino said the double coding system has become a huge burden to jeepney drivers and operators since a unit Is practically limited to two-full day trips a week or eight trips a month, depending on one’s license plate number.

This policy, he said, has resulted in huge losses in their operations even as they are compelled to cope with higher costs of operations including insurance premiums and other fees required by the Land Transportation and Franchising Board.

Aquino said the drivers’ woes are compounded by the escalating schedule of stiff penalties for minor traffic violations.

Asked if they were ever consulted by the SP, Aquino said he and other presidents of jeepney associations had a meeting with Public Order and Safety Office chief Robert Erfe Mejia where they submitted their respective proposals to be incorporated in the ordinance.

But he said only Mejia’s position was submitted to the city council.

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