Outgoing Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) chair Winston Ginez said the recent move of a transport organization to file a law suit against him is a ?desperate move and attempt? to malign the agency?s reputation.
Earlier this week, Jun Magno of transport group Stop & Go filed a complaint at the Ombudsman against Ginez, DOTC secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya, Transport Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) operators such as Uber, Grab and UHop, for allegedly conspiring in allowing TNVS companies operate even without a franchise.
The operations of TNVS were regulated by the agency through Memorandum Circular Orders (MCs) issued in May last year, setting specific guidelines, policies, regulations that require TNVS and transport network companies (TNCs) must secure the required Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC) before they can offer their services.
The MCs clearly state, among others, the process and legal documentary requirements for accreditation of a TNC and what TNVS operators needed in order to secure their franchises before they can start operating online-enabled transport services (OETS).
?Clearly, Stop & Go is resorting to pernicious act of forum shopping to dissuade us from providing our commuting public with safe, reliable, convenient and comfortable transportation that is sanctioned by our existing transportation laws,? Ginez said.
The same transport organization filed another law case but failed to convince the Regional Trial Court of Quezon City in granting an injunction against DOTC and LTFRB in implementing the department order and memorandum circulars creating TNVS as a new mode of public transportation.
?We are confident that just like the RTC of Quezon City, the Ombudsman will reject the baseless and unfounded allegations of Stop & Go. We believe that there is no legal infirmity for TNVS operating on provisional authority pending issuance of their franchise,? Ginez said.
The agency said it supports DOTC?s initiative in introducing new mode of transport that could provide safe, efficient, and reliable transport services.
?While the Board is open to embracing new technology, we want to ensure the public?s safety and convenience by accreditation of qualified TNCs and issuance of franchises to TNVS operators that meet LTFRB?s legal requirements.?
