Despite ‘spot amnesty’, apprehensions to continue

TO CUSHION the impact of the suspension of Angkas operations, the Cebu City government will release around 2,500 impounded motorcycles in Cebu City.

Francisco Ouano, operations chief of the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO), said they received an advisory from Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña to release the motorcycles as an “on the spot amnesty” starting yesterday, Friday (December 14).

However, Ouano said their office will still apprehend those who will be caught counter-flowing.

“The motorcycles that will be released are those which were apprehended and impounded as of December 13 (last Thursday). But this doesn’t mean those who will be caught counter-flowing will not be impounded,” said Ouano.

He also said the “on the spot amnesty” only applies to two-wheeled vehicles, not on four-wheeled ones.

“The mayor’s advisory specifically identifies motorcycles only. We did not receive any notification to release four-wheeled vehicles,” Ouano added.

CCTO records show that there are around 6,000 to 8,000 impounded vehicles, from motorcycles to heavy vehicles such as trucks and buses, since Osmeña issued an Executive Order last February mandating them to apprehend counter-flowing vehicles.

Every vehicle caught counter-flowing will be impounded in a city-owned warehouse at the South Road Properties (SRP) for 30 days, with a fine of P100 per day or P3,000 per month.

On Thursday, Osmeña ordered the release of all motorcycles impounded following the order for Angkas to suspend its operations.

The mayor said owners of the impounded motorcycles will not have to pay for the corresponding penalties incurred.

“Way multa pero ato ning klarohon, padayon lang gihapon ang pagdakop sa mga nag-counterflow. This is just spot amnesty. Sige kay Christmas man pero di mahunong ang arrest,” said Osmeña.

(There will be no more fines but we have to make it clear that apprehension of counterflowing vehicles will continue. This is just spot amnesty, because it’s Christmas but the arrests will not stop.)

The SC issued a TRO against a ruling of a lower court preventing the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) from interfering with the operations of Angkas.

In a Facebook post, Osmeña expressed disappointment over the second blow against Angkas from the national government, adding that habal-habal (motorcycle-for-hire) helped in providing transportation services for residents in the city, especially those from the mountain barangays.

However, this development prompted the mayor to come up with an Angkas-like program that will make the operations of habal-habal without any legal repercussions.