The police ordered traditional public utility jeepney drivers and operators staging rallies near the flyovers at barangays Bata and Singcang-Airport in Bacolod City on Friday, Nov. 29, to peacefully disperse for lack of permits or face charges, PCol. Joeresty Coronica, city police director, said.
They were also told to halt their protest in front of the Bacolod City Government Center replica at the plaza for lack of a permit and obstruction of traffic as they were already occupying part of the road, Coronica said.
They were told to instead stage their protest inside the plaza.
Coronica said the refusal of the protestors at the flyovers to disperse within the periods given to them by the police was bordering on obstruction of justice.
They applied for a permit but were short of the 10-day period required prior to their activity that it why their request was denied by the city government, he said.
The Human Rights Advocates Negros said they condemn Coronica for threatening to disperse the peaceful protests of the traditional public utility vehicle groups.
“Coronica’s absurd reasons that the protesters are blocking routes inside the gutter of the BCGC replica or that rallyists need a permit to use the grounds of the public plaza, which is declared freedom park, is violative of the right to peaceful assembly and redress of grievances”, HRAN said.
“We are now in a state of dictatorial rule in Bacolod”, HRAN said.
“We urge the traditional PUV operators and drivers to stand to fight for our rights,” it added.
The traditional jeepney operations were protesting against the threat that they will be arrested after Nov. 30 for their failure to consolidate and take part in the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program, which deadline was Friday, Rudy Catedral, Bacolod Alliance of Commuters, Operators and Drivers (BACOD) president, said.
They are also calling for the renewal of their franchises to operate.
Kabacod Negros Transport Coalition (KNETCO) and the United Negros Drivers and Operators Center also joined the protest, he said.
Catedral said a halt in the operations of traditional jeepneys would cripple public transportation in some parts of the city, citing barangays Bata and Handumanan.
The traditional PUJ groups may stage a 5-day transport strike next week, KNETCO President Lilian Sembrano said.
The transport groups will continue their protest in Bacolod on Saturday, after which they will decide on whether to push through with the strike, she said.
Noly Rosales, secretary general of Kilusang Mayo Uno, said they applied for a permit last week but the LGU had so many requirements.*