(Eagle News)–Albay Rep. Joey Salceda on Monday, May 27, asked the Supreme Court to stop the implementation of a Metropolitan Manila Development Authority regulation that would eventually lead to the closure of provincial bus terminals along Edsa.
In his petition for prohibition and/or mandamus with an application for a temporary restraining order and/or writ of preliminary injunction, Salceda asked the High Court to stop the MMDA from implementing MMDA Regulation No. 19-002, Series of 2019 that prohibits or revoked the issuance of permits to all provincial public utility bus terminals and bus terminals along Edsa on the basis of an “impending economic disruption.”
He said the implementation of the order would result in “thousands of commuters from the provinces to disembark in a designated terminal outside Metro Manila as endpoint resulting in so much inconvenience and added economic cost to the provincial commuters,.mostly composed of poor travelers.”
According to Salceda, for the MMDA to “deprive (provincial bus operators) of the use of Edsa is to unduly and effectively curtail and infringe their existing franchise with the (Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board) and/or a lease agreement with the terminal owners.”
“A unilateral imposition of an oppressive order by an agency is tantamount to disenfranchisement of valid franchise holder for the operation of a public utility by a government agency which the State ought to protect,” he said.
As to why he went to the SC, he said there was “no appeal or plain, speedy and adequate remedy” available to him and his constituents in Albay and Bicol Region.
“Respondents acted with grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess when they issued the MMDA regulation without taking into consideration the economic disruption, inconvenience, expense and damages that they may cause to Salceda, and his constituents, the affected PUBs, and the province of Albay..,” Salceda said.
