Angkas weighs options amid ‘arrest’ order by Tugade
EXECUTIVES of ride-hailing app Angkas—popular among traffic-weary commuters despite its legal problems on account of an outdated law—are currently deliberating on their options with lawyers amid a crackdown sparked by a temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by the Supreme Court.
The Angkas officials held marathon meetings with counsel after Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade ordered the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to enforce a massive crackdown on Angkas drivers who defy the court order. He said all defiant Angkas bikers and riders must be arrested.
He said it is only lawful and fair for Angkas to abide by the stay order, as what the department did when a local court decided in favor of the company in a previous legal match.
“It is not right for Angkas to violate the law and the order of the Supreme Court. When a TRO was issued against us, we followed the order. We hope that they will do the same. The rule of law must always prevail,”Tugade said. He also called on commuters to stop availing the services of Angkas, saying that it may cost them their lives due to safety issues earlier raised by the department.
“The price of a swift and cheap ride may be your life,” he said. Tugade cited motorcycle data from the Philippine National PoliceHighway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) showing that in the first 10 months of 2018, there had been 5,105 motorcycle crashes nationwide—the highest for all modes of transportation in the country.
He also cited a 2017 survey of the Department of Health, which revealed that 19,852 cases—or about 65 percent—of road accident victims were involved in motorcycle crashes.
Angkas claimed, however, that most of such accidents did not involve its biker-partners. It said it has a safety record of 99.99 percent since it first started operating in the Philippines in mid-2017. It has a fleet of 25,000 biker-partners.
At the heart of this legal tussle is a stay order issued by the High Court against the legitimacy of Angkas’s ride-hailing operations. It has since removed the ride-hailing option from its app, but still operates its parcel services through its biker-partners.
Under the Republic Act 4136 or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code, two-wheel vehicles are banned from being used as public-utility vehicles or common carriers. This, according to former LTFRB Chairman Winston M. Ginez, is“antiquated”and thus is in dire need of amendments. It was enacted in 1964.
HPG awaits clear orders
MeANWHILe, the PNP’s Highway Patrol Group is still awaiting for a clearer guidance from the LTFRB as to how it will implement the operation against drivers of Angkas.
Chief Supt. Roberto Fajardo, HPG director, said on Tuesday that, while the LTFRB has already publicly asked traffic enforcers to help the LTFRB enforce the ban on Angkas, the agency still has to clearly define the parameters for which the apprehension and arrest should be made.
He said that, while the HPG would willingly work with the LTFRB in ensuring that the order is carried out, the agency must come up with the official directive wherein rules and the accompanying penalties are set.