SC urged: Allow Angkas to continue operations

Motorcycle ride-hailing app Angkas yesterday asked the Supreme Court (SC) to allow its services to continue.

Angkas operator DBDOYC Inc. urged the high court’s Second Division to lift the temporary restraining order (TRO) issued on Dec. 5, which stopped its operations.

The SC order allowed the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to apprehend Angkas riders.

The company also sought the dismissal of the petition filed by the LTFRB and Department of Transportation, which questioned the writ of preliminary injunction issued by Judge Carlos Valenzuela of the Mandaluyong Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 213 on Aug. 20, which stopped the government agencies from arresting drivers of Angkas.

The assailed RTC order prevented transport authorities from apprehending Angkas bikers “who are in lawful pursuit of their trade based on the petitioner’s mobile ap- plication.”

Angkas retracted its earlier pronouncement that it would continue with its operations despite the TRO issued by the high court.

“We will comply with the SC ruling and we will not prevent the LTFRB from apprehending our riders. But we will give assistance to our bikers under the confines of the law,” Angkas spokesman George Royeca said.

“In fact, we have instructed our bikers to comply with the authorities should they be apprehended, and always be courteous and respectful of the law enforcers,” he said.

The LTFRB stopped the operations of Angkas in No- vember last year for lack of franchise.

The regulatory body stressed that the operator of Angkas should secure a franchise from Congress to operate as a public utility vehicle under Republic Act 4136 or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code.