‘Colorum vans' to be impounded for 3 months

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) will not release the two suspected colorum vans for at least three months in the impounding area and only if the owners pay a P200,000 fine.

LTFRB 7 Director Ahmed Cuizon said the first van was a unit under Uhop, a transport network company (TNC) similar to Grab and Uber. It was driven by a certain Phyll Anthony Reyes.

Cuizon said the van was booked by an LTFRB decoy who checked in at the Waterfront Casino Hotel-Lahug and booked a ride to Lapu-Lapu City. The van was apprehended the other day by LTFRB enforcers near a gas station on Pope John Paul II Ave.

“It surprised me that a reputable hotel would get the services of colorum vans and have its name plastered on the vehicle’s doors. In other words, the hotel is lending its brand name to colorum vans, which are not approved by the government for tourist purposes,” Cuizon said.

The other van was apprehended by LTFRB enforcers near SM City last Sunday carrying passengers bound for Naga City, who paid P60 each for the ride.

Cuizon said the driver who was not inside the vehicle immediately closed it through automatic key lock from the outside so the enforcers couldn’t get it.

“Our enforcers could not identify the drivers from the small crowd that started to gather around our enforcers. When our men asked aloud who the driver of the van was, nobody acknowledged. The passengers inside the van also refused to open the door to let our enforcer in,” Cuizon said.

Police and traffic officers arrived and controlled the crowd. The van was clamped, forcing the passengers to open it and disembark.