Palace lashes at PISTON for 'inconsistency'

Malacañang on Thursday questioned the motive of militant transport group Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON) for staging a protest and yet not filing a fare hike petition to lessen the impact of oil price increases on its members.   At a press briefing, presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said PISTON did not file a petition before the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board as confirmed by its head Jaime Jacob.   “So air war talaga ang ginagawa po ng PISTON—nagsasabi po sila ng mga bagay-bagay for the protection of their own members. It turns out they themselves did not file a petition for rate increase for their own members. So this is the inconsistency that PISTON has not revealed to its members,” he said.   PISTON secretary general George San Mateo earlier said they are pushing for a P1 fare increase.   Other transport groups had filed a petition for P0.50 provisional fare increase and an additional P1.50 hike, making the rate P10 for the first four kilometers. The LTFRB has yet to decide on the petition.   “The fact and truth of the matter is, if PISTON is concerned about its members, why did it not file a petition for rate increase in LTFRB? ‘Di ba basic po ‘yon? Ang unang concern po ninyo sa inyong mga miyembro,” Lacierda said.   More actions In a press statement, Koalisyon ng Progresibong Manggagawa at Mamamayan (KPMM), which joined Thursday's caravan, criticized government's alleged effort to undermine the multi-sectoral protests against oil price hikes and overpricing.   “Lacierda’s divisive insinuation against PISTON reveals that Malacañang aims to weaken our unity for our very legitimate demands. Government seems to want us, the people, fighting and scratching each other for our very survival," Larry Tan, KPPM spokesperson, said.   He added: "Until Aquino rouses from his pathetic helplessness, we shall launch more actions because we definitely demand action.”   Palace thanks non-participants   Lacierda, meanwhile, thanked Pasang Masda, FEJODAP, ACTO, Cebu Integrated Transport Services Cooperative (Citrasco) and other transport groups that did not participate in Thursday’s transport caravan.   He also thanked the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority for its preparedness, which he said lessened the inconvenience of the riding public.   “Ang initial assessment is that wala pong pasaherong na-stranded po because we made sure that there will be transportations available for the riding public and that’s our number one concern—na hindi po maaapektuhan po ang publiko,” Lacierda said.   He added MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino will continue assessing the situation. He also asked the protesters to avoid actions that will move away from meaningful discourse and inconvenience the public such as throwing nails and spikes on the road.   “Makakaasa ang mga commuters at transport unions na patuloy nating isasagawa ang mga hakbang na napagkasunduan sa mga diyalogo noong nakaraang taon. Patuloy po nating ipinatutupad ang batas laban sa mga colorum vehicles, at ang single-ticketing system, upang makapagdulot ng dagdag na kita sa mga tsuper at operator, at mas maluwag at mas ligtas na mga kalsada para sa publiko,” said the Palace official. - KBK, GMA News