Alcover hits Osmeña anew for backing Angkas

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña wants Angkas operations to continue and will file an
appeal with the Supreme Court to lift the temporary restraining order it issued against Angkas./ File photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — An opposition Cebu City councilor criticized anew the Osmeña-led administration on the latter’s decision to push for the legalization of Angkas and for lumping together the motorcycle ride-hailing application firm with the operation of  habal-habal (motorcycle-for-hire).

In a privilege speech during the first regular session of the city council for 2019 this afternoon, January 8, Councilor Pastor “Jun” Alcover Jr. claimed that it was “politics” that motivated Cebu City Representatives Raul del Mar (North District) and Rodrigo “Bebot” Abellanosa (South District) to file House Bill No. 6049, which proposes to recognize habal-habal as a legal mode of public transporation and to grant Angkas a franchise to operate.

“I have nothing against legalizing habal-habal. In fact, I pushed a similar proposal before the House (of Representatives) in 2012. What I am against is the legalization of Angkas, a business entity, and misleading the public to think Angkas and habal-habal is one,” Alcover said in Cebuano.

“Politics is dictating them to file this bill,” he added.

Both Del Mar and Abellanosa are  allies of Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña under the local political party Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK).

Alcover, who is allied with the opposition Partido Barug, also said that the Lower House during the 15th Congress of the Philippines apparently ignored the same proposal he authored in 2012 in his capacity as partylist representative of the Alliance for Nationalism and Democracy (ANAD).

“Congressmen before did not pay attention to my proposal, House Bill No. 6046, or anything related to habal-habal. Because back then, it was not controversial. I only got one support from Congressman Ace Durano (Cebu fifth district),” recalled Alcover.

The councilor earlier slammed Osmeña’s plans to engage in a legal battle  favoring the operation of the beleaguered Angkas, whose operation has been suspended by the Supreme Court based on a petition filed by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) that questioned a lower court’s decision that upheld the operation of Angkas.

A proposed resolution authorizing Osmeña to represent the Cebu City Government in an appeal to be filed before the Supreme Court (SC), which would pray for the lifting of  the Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) that effectively suspended the operations of  Angkas, is expected to be discussed in the council’s regular session today.