Miriam to push for protection of public transport, commuters

MANILA, Philippines – Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago is set to file bills to strengthen measures against people who steal public transportation vehicles and related fixtures to protect commuters from risks caused by missing train tracks.

Santiago said the issues surrounding the country’s train system should be addressed but at the same time, the efforts being done should be likewise protected.

“The perennial issues of congestion, unreliability, and deterioration of our train systems must be addressed, but we must also ensure that any solution presented will not be for naught because of thieves who saw off train tracks and sell them for cheap,” she emphasized.

The Public Transport Preservation Bill and the Anti-Fencing of Government Property Bill seek to amend the Penal Code and the Anti-Fencing Law respectively.

If enacted, the Public Transport Preservation Bill will make penalties for robberies involving public transportation vehicles and related parts a degree higher.

Meanwhile, the Anti-Fencing of Government Property Bill aims to increase the penalties given to any person found guilty of purchasing or selling illegally obtained public transport-related items.

The bills come in light of recent instances of suspected stealing of rail joints, angle bars, and rail clips from the track of the Philippine National Railway (PNR) near Taguig City.

The missing parts were said to be the reason behind a derailment that injured more than 50 passengers on April 29.

“When you steal anything related to public transport, you are not only committing the crime of theft or robbery but also exposing to danger hundreds of thousands of commuters who rely on public transport on a daily basis,” the senator said. – Rappler.com