ILOILO City – The Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) said they won’t arrest barkers – persons who “call for, facilitate, induce or convince commuters to board a particular or preferred public utility vehicle such as a jeepney, taxi, van, and bus for the purpose of extracting an amount from the vehicle’s driver.”
Regulation Ordinance No. 2014-194 makes it unlawful for any person to loiter in public places, open parking spaces and designated loading and unloading areas, and intermittently perform and act as barker even with prior consent from the driver or any transport organization.
“We are giving a stern warning,” according to Police Captain Shella Mae Sangrines, ICPO spokesperson.
Sangrines said they earlier sat down with Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (PSTMO) chief Jeck Conlu. They agreed to just warn the barkers instead of detaining them.
Effective yesterday, May 14, policemen were deployed on city streets to monitor the barkers.
However, if the barkers continue violating Regulation Ordinance No. 2014-194, “we have to arrest them,” said Sangrines.
The city government came up with the anti-barking ordinance seven years ago due to complaints about barkers harassing jeepney drivers who did not give them money.
A violator could be jailed for a minimum of three months but not more than six months.
Meanwhile, transport group Iloilo City Loop Alliance of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association (ICLAJODA) penned a letter to the city council addressed to Councilor Rommel Duron, chairman of the committee on transportation.
ICLAJODA said there were complaints from jeepney drivers that the barkers are asking money while drivers are waiting for passengers. It’s been an added burden, they lamented.
The drivers added they were affected by the city government’s “libre sakay” or free rides on modern buses.
Around 200 modernized jeepneys in this city and Iloilo province are offering free rides for two months.
This Free Ride Service Program is being undertaken by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and the Department of Transportation under the Service Contracting Program. This started last month./PN
