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ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews/10 May) – The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has placed on a 30-day preventive suspension 15 buses of the Rural Transit of Mindanao Inc. (RTMI).
LTFRB provincial head Swilbery Baybayan said their central handed down the preventive suspension order which took effect Thursday, May 8.
Baybayan said the 15 suspended buses ply the Zamboanga City-Cagayan de Oro City via Pagadian City.
The suspension order came 11 days after the LTFRB discovered that one of RTMI’s buses which figured in an accident had no franchise.
Six people, including a three-month old baby, died while 16 others were injured in the accident that occurred last April 27 in Barangay Anonang, Aurora, Zamboanga del Sur.
LTFRB Regional Director Abdulgafar Mohammad said in an earlier interview that the bus involved in the accident was not registered too.
Baybayan said the LTFRB central office has ordered the RTMI to present within 30 days the 15 buses placed under preventive suspension for motor vehicle inspection before the Land Transportation Office.
He said they are sending a team to confiscate the “for-hire plates” of the suspended buses.
He said the RTMI was also given 72 hours to explain why their Certificate of Public Convenience should not be suspended, cancelled or revoked.
RTMI is the biggest bus firm in Mindanao. Its buses ply most parts of the island. (MindaNews)
