SC raffles off 4 petitions vs fare hike

The four petitions seeking to halt the fare increase in the Light Rail Transit (LRT) and Metro Rail Transit (MRT) lines have moved even while the Supreme Court (SC) is on recess.

Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno yesterday said the petitions have been raffled off to a justice.

The justice-in-charge, who will be tasked to write the high court’s decision on the case, was not named

due to a confidentiality rule.

Sereno issued a statement saying there was no action yet on the urgent plea of petitioners for issuance of temporary restraining order or status quo ante order.

“In accordance with the Internal Rules of the Supreme Court, the Chief Justice will have to await the recommendation of the member-in-charge,” read the statement.

While there is no session, the rules allow the Chief Justice to act on urgent petitions and issue TRO or status quo ante subject to consultation with other justices and affirmation when they resume session on Jan. 13.

The four separate petitions were filed by the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan ( Bayan), former Iloilo congressman Augusto Syjuco, Bayan Muna party-list group and United Filipino Consumers and Commuters Inc.

Petitioners asked the high court to void the order of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) last month that allowed the increase in fares of the mass railway system.

They accused the DOTC of committing grave abuse of discretion in approving the increase and also of violating the constitutional right to due process of millions of mass transit commuters since there was allegedly no consultation held prior to implementation of the fare adjustment.

Malacañang, on the other hand, is not bothered about the increasing opposition to the LRT/MRT fare hike.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda expressed confidence that the Supreme Court will uphold the executive department on the new rates.

“We are confident,” Lacierda said when asked about Malacañang’s reaction to the growing list of petitioners calling on the SC to decide on the fare increase and its chances of winning as well.

Lacierda reiterated his argument that the fare adjustments are not enough since the national government only took away P2 billion out of the usual P12-billion annual government subsidy for purposes of giving train commuters a reasonable fare.

Lacierda said train commuters have no reason to gripe about the increase in fares because the rates are actually not enough to cover the entire government subsidy.

“We are not saying we are taking out the entire subsidy. Let me be clear with that,” he said. “We did not take away the subsidy. The subsidy is still there. And if you compare it with the other modes of transportation, it is still lower compared to the other – the buses, aircon or regular,” Lacierda insisted.

Lacierda also fended off criticisms from lawmakers that rehabilitation of the country’s mass transport systems have been included in this year’s budget for DOTC, which should not be a reason for a fare hike.

Senators Francis Escudero and Grace Poe noted the fare hike was not raised during budget deliberations.

“Certainly, we appreciate the work of the legislators. But that’s only to bring – from where we are to improve the system. Just because we put a budget for this year, that doesn’t mean that’s okay,” Lacierda said.

“This is not the first time that we have already publicly manifested the intention to raise the MRT rates,” he added.

Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano said the DOTC and other concerned government agencies must explain and justify before the Senate the fare increase.

Cayetano said Congress should exercise its oversight functions in this particular case, citing the impact of the fare increase on a significant number of Filipinos, a majority of whom are low to mid-level income earners.

“My appeal is for the Senate to hold a hearing as soon as possible so that the DOF (Department of Finance), DOTC, the officials of the MRT and LRT could face us, bring out their books and financial statements,” he said.

Cayetano believes the fare hike is unnecessary considering the government is still subsidizing the operations of the MRT and LRT lines and Congress has provided the necessary funding for the improvements that would be undertaken.

Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr., for his part, urged President Aquino to intervene on behalf of the people and reconsider the increase of the LRT/MRT fares.

Marcos said the President should review the decision since it affects many workers who use the MRT/LRT as means of transportation.

Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo is proposing the creation of a Rail Regulatory Board (RRB) to oversee the country’s railway system.

The proposed RRB should set and approve fares and other costs for all transport systems that use rails and tracks.

Castelo said he will file the measure today to coincide with the start of the congressional inquiry into the imposition of fare hikes in the LRT/MRT.