HINILING ng isang transport group at apat na petitioners sa Korte Suprema na suspendihin ang implementasyon at ipawalang bisa ang ilang direktibang nakapaloob sa Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP).
Hinimok ni Piston Chairman Mody Floranda, at apat pang petitioners mula sa sektor ng commuter at jeepney, ang Kataas-taasang Hukuman na maglabas ng temporary restraining order (TRO) o isang writ of preliminary injunction upang pagbawalan ang Department of Transportation (DOTr) at Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) na ipatupad ang ilang direktiba kaugnay sa jeepney modernization at ang itinakdang 31 Disyembre 2023 deadline para sa mandatory consolidation ng public utility vehicle (PUV) franchise.
Nais din ng petitioners na alamin ng Korte Suprema kung labag sa Konstitusyon ang ilang kautusan ng LTFRB at DOTr.
“The constitutionality issues raised in this Petition lie at the very root of this case, inasmuch as the dispute cannot be resolved, and resolved once and for all, unless the Honorable Court disposes of the same,” ayon sa petition.
Giit ng petitioners, ang ilang kautusan ng DOTr at LTFRB ay labag sa “constitutional right to freedom of association” gayundin sa voluntary nature ng isang kooperatiba alinsunod sa Republic Act 9250 or the Cooperative Code.
“The petitioners come before this Honorable Court seeking provisional relief to enjoin the respondents from enforcing the assailed DOTr and LTFRB issuances pendente lite and, after proper proceedings, a judgment declaring the said administrative issuances null and void for being unconstitutional,” sabi sa petition.
Batay sa guidelines ng DOTr noong 2017, para makasali sa PUVMP ay kailangang magbuo ng transport cooperatives o korporasyon ang PUV operators at drivers.
Inihayag kamakailan ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. na hindi na palalawigin ang deadline para sa franchise consolidation at sinabing, “we cannot let the minority cause further delays.” (ZIA LUNA)