‘GrabCar, Uber should cease operations’: transport group

A TRANSPORT group’s lawyer insisted Tuesday that the operations of Uber and GrabCar should be stopped in view of the suspension order issued by a Quezon City judge against the regulatory framework of the app-enabled ride-sharing service.

David Erro, counsel of Stop and Go transport coalition, twice told Judge Santiago Arenas during the hearing that it was “common sense” that the 20-day temporary restraining order should cover the existing operations of the Transportation Network Companies (TNCs).

Erro also accused Arenas of “amending” the court order when the latter explained in media interviews that the TRO applied only to the processing of pending and future applications.

“Common sense, your honor, you issue a TRO with respect to existing operations,” he said.

Stop and Go (Angat Tsuper Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator ng Pilipinas Genuine Organization) filed the petition for injunction in September, asking the Quezon City Regional Trial Court to stop the implementation of a department order (DO) issued by the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) and the memorandum circulars issued by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) regarding TNCs.

The court order issued by Arenas of the QCRTC Branch 217 dated Nov. 27 was received last Friday by the parties’ respective counsels. The wording of the TRO, however, created confusion and Arenas was compelled to explain to reporters that it covered only the “accepting, processing and approving of applications.”

“I’m not amending the TRO,” Arenas told Erro as he added that he was willing to inhibit himself from the case if the latter disagreed with him.

Citing health reasons, Arenas tried to excuse himself from the case when it was assigned to his court in September. His move was refused, however, by the executive judge.

Erro said his camp was surprised by the clarification made by Arenas in media interviews. He pointed that since the classification of TNCs and their partner vehicles, Transportation Network Vehicle Service (TNVS), was created through the DO, then suspending the order would mean suspending the operations of TNCs and TNVS.

“Just common sense, your honor, why will we ask for a TRO if it doesn’t include the operations?” Erro added.

Arenas maintained that any injunctive relief “usually” does not cover previously granted authorities. He also said Stop and Go’s petition did not state that the TNCs and TNVS should be included in the TRO.

After taking note of the petitioner’s issues, he set the next hearing on Dec. 15. –Erika Sauler, With Ria Consuelo Mendoza and Krizia Jamille Yap