George San Mateo

In the age of Instagram and Twitter, you can be charged and hauled off to jail for violating a 1936 law. It happened to transport leader George San Mateo, who was charged with violating Commonwealth Act No. 1946 for leading the February protests against the government’s program to modernize jeepneys. Enacted in 1936 during the Commonwealth period, the law prohibits the withholding of public services from the people. Ironically, the president of the transport group Piston was arrested by policemen while about to appear at a Quezon City court for bail proceedings, triggering a scuffle between his supporters and the agents. He was later freed after posting a P4,000 bail. A senator questioned the timing of the arrest, which came two days after San Mateo called off a transport strike on Dec. 4 and 5.