Tension arose at the DAALCO waiting station at Libertad Street in Bacolod City yesterday, when businessman Hermilo Lizares intervened with the members of the Bacolod Traffic Authority, Traffic Management Unit and took a stub of violation tickets from a member of the BTAO who was issuing them to drivers, and he and TMU head Chief Insp. Luisito Acebuche engaged in a heated argument.

City Police Director Senior Supt. Ricardo de la Paz, who was also in the area, ordered Acebuche and his personnel to continue the apprehension and not allow Lizares to intervene.

To ease the tension at the DAALCO waiting station, de la Paz sent the city police’s 25-man Special Weapons and Tactics unit to the area to ensure peace and order while members of the City Legal Office enforcement team were also there to assist the security.

“DAALCO” stands for Don Antonio A. Lizares Co., a Lizares family-owned corporation.

Hermilo Lizares, a grandson of Don Antonio, claimed that it is also a violation of the City Ordinance No. 187 series of 1997 that states that there should only be one terminal for south bound public utility vehicles.

Lizares said the drivers are already affected so much by the non-usage of the DAALCO waiting station. He said there are two terminals operating at the Sambok waiting station – the one operated by the Vallacar transit and the other operated by the city government.

He also hit the Bacolod City Police for meddling in the issue and said that de la Paz should instead focus on arresting jai-alai operators.

Acebuche stressed that they are only implementing the order and, in fact, during a meeting at the BCPO headquarters Saturday, they told the operators that they will strictly implement the ordinance effective yesterday but they were surprised that the drivers were defying it.

Brgy. 40 Kagawad Genalyn Achuro, who witnessed the tension, also asked de la Paz and Acebuche to temporarily stop the apprehension of the drivers, but her request was not granted.

Acebuche said they already gave ample time to the drivers and it is high time to implement the ordinance.

United Drivers and Operators Center Secretary general Jesse Ortega said they may seek legal action against the city government for not allowing them to use the DAALCO waiting station.

Ortega said the drivers are not violating anything and are only trying to make a living.

Cesar Beloria, head of the City Legal Composite team pointed out during their meeting with the southbound public utility vehicle operators Saturday that it appears that it is already the city government kneeling before them. So, like a parent, the city should instill discipline to an erring child, he added.

Beloria said they should first test option one, before proceeding to option two. They should first find out if there is a need to make adjustments, he said. But they will continue to hold dialogs with the stakeholders, he added.

Despite the incident yesterday, the TMU and the BTAO personnel were able to apprehend 12 public utility vehicles using the DAALCO waiting station.*APN/CGS

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