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It came down to this.
“The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has cancelled the franchise covering 24 buses of Valisno Bus Express due to ‘lack of evidence that would prove that they have no liability’ in the Aug. 12 crash that left four passengers dead and 18 others injured,” reports Robertzon Ramirez in The Philippine Star.
The report quoted LTFRB member Ariel Inton who explained that “the board unanimously decided to cancel and revoke the bus firm’s franchise.” He stated: ” Had they presented the driver? And that the driver was able to testify that it was solely his fault? Probably I would have decided for suspension or for a lighter penalty because they don’t have defense at all.”
Inton added, “If only they were able to present the driver at least (and) the driver testified it was his fault, I could have decided for a lighter penalty.”
For his part, the bus firm’s lawyer, Atty. Francisco Blanes, “did not respond to The Philippine Star when asked about his comment on the board’s decision.”
It may be recalled that the LTFRB issued a 30-day preventive suspension order against Valisno and asked it to surrender its buses’ license plates. It didn’t help that later on, the bus firm’s operator, Rosalinda Valisno, “failed to attend a hearing set by the LTFRB on Aug. 18, claiming she was depressed by the accident.” Only her representative and Blanes attended the hearing.
When Valisno was summoned to attend another hearing on Aug. 25, Blanes said she “went to a hospital in Mindoro to undergo surgery to remove hemorrhoids.”
The report noted: “In a bid to lift the suspension order, the bus firm submitted the necessary documents before the board on Sept. 8. An 11-page LTFRB resolution signed by LTFRB chairman Winston Ginez and some LTFRB members states that Valisno has ‘violated or willfully and contumaciously refused to comply with the proper orders, rules, and regulations of the board.'”
Photo: dzMM
