DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 15 June) – The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has issued a cease and desist order against the northbound operation of the UV Express Service after its passenger vehicle collided with a truck that left 10 passengers dead and 8 others injured early morning Wednesday at Crossing Mahayag in Tibungco here.
In a two-page resolution issued on Wednesday, the LTFRB said the suspension covers only routes going to and from Davao City in the north “including but not limited to Tagum City/Mati, and Compostela Valley” until further notice from the board and pending “serious and thorough review of their operations and inspections of the PUVs concerned.”
It said the company’s non-compliance with the board resolution will be dealt with accordingly and be sanctioned with proper penalties when warranted.
The resolution, which was signed by LTFRB chair Martin B. Delgra III and board members Aileen Lourdes A. Lizada and Ronaldo F. Corpus, stated that board has received various complaints against UV Express that its drivers plying the northern route were “engaged in reckless driving and over speeding, endangering the lives and limbs of the commuting public.”
It said it recorded four vehicular accidents involving the passenger vans owned by UV Express in the Davao Region from October 2016 to March 2017.
The LTFRB has also called on the local government units (LGUs) to heed the call and encourage their constituents to take the buses in light of the dangerous accidents that resulted in the deaths of many passengers.
In a police report, the Toyota Hi Ace commuter van, driven by Joey Alcazaren, overtook a vehicle when it crashed head-on with a truck, an Isuzu Forward Dropside, driven by Juanito B. Labrigas, coming from the opposite lane in Bunawan.
The collision killed Alcazaren and his helper, Richard Maley, and passengers Jonard Beldera, Mary May Misa, Jabey Monsales, Rosalinda Subingsubing, Reyvens Ravena, Domingo Carmona, and two unidentified victims.
The bodies of the victims were brought to Rivera Funeral Homes.
In a statement, Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte expressed dismay over the accident and pushed to fully implement the speed limit policy in 2013 to decrease the number of vehicular accidents.
“The speed limit ordinance of Davao City is aimed specifically at putting an end to deadly vehicular accidents in the city. When it was first implemented four years ago, we saw a remarkable decrease on deaths from vehicular accidents,” he said.
The vice mayor said erring drivers could not be apprehended because of “under the table” transactions with traffic officers.
“Yes, that is an accusation because I have informants,” Duterte said.
He said he has grown tired reminding the Land Transportation Office, LTFRB, and City Transportation and Traffic Management Office to discipline the drivers of vans, buses, and jeepneys entering the premises of the city. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)
