PNP cracks whip vs ‘colorum’ cops

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Friday disclosed that police officers who will be proven to be involved in colorum operations will be undergoing lifestyle checks and directed the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG) intensify monitoring of cops’ activities.

In a statement, PNP chief Police General Rommel Francisco Marbil stressed that the PNP leadership will have zero tolerance against police officers who will be found involved in illegal operations.

This comes after the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Department of Transportation (DoTr) and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) signed an agreement creating a task force against colorum public utility vehicles.

“If there are cases like than, then we will have the IMEG check the lifestyle of those police officers,” Marbil said.

He added that police officers found engaging in illegal activities face suspension and dismissal from service, aside from administrative and criminal charges.

For his part, DILG Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. stressed that the agency is also checking the involvement of other officials in colorum operations.

However, the secretary said that they cannot disclose the details as of yet.

To recall, the Joint Administrative Order 2014-01 of the defunct Department of Transportation and Communications, Land Transportation Office and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board sets the fines and penalties for violations of policies governing land transportation.

Under the order, buses will be slapped with a P1 million fine, while P200,000 will be the penalty for vans and trucks. For sedans, a P120,000 fine will be implemented while a P50,000 will be imposed to jeepneys.

For second offenses, it will lead to the revocation of the Certificate of Public Convenience, disqualification of the operator, blacklisting of all authorized units of the operator and revocation of the registration of all authorized units of the operator.

In accordance with the order of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., Abalos said colorum vehicles must be wiped out from the streets as these contribute to traffic congestion.