NO SACRED COWS. Authorities arrest suspects Jaz Abalos and Antonio Mirasol in an entrapment at the MMDA main office in Pasig City on Thursday (April 11, 2024). Jaz reportedly claimed to be a niece of DILG Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. to avoid apprehension and tried to negotiate with authorities over the van she operated, which was apprehended for having an expired registration. (Photo courtesy of MMDA)
MANILA – Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. on Friday called on concerned government agencies to intensify their crackdown against "colorum" vehicles or those operating without any franchises.
This came after the arrest of a woman who name-dropped Abalos as her uncle and attempted to negotiate with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) over the apprehension of a van caught with an expired registration.
"The intensified operations against colorum PUVs is the start of our response to the President's (Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.) order to hit hard on their illegal operations and ensure that they will be weeded out entirely in our roads in support of legitimate transport operators and the riding public who are at risk when patronizing these kind of PUVs," Abalos said in a statement.
He said he immediately ordered the arrest of the suspect identified as a certain "Jaz Abalos."
“Pagdating sa ganyang kalokahan, dito wala kang pinipili, dapat lahat hulihin mo. ‘Pag nagsabing kamag-anak mo, o kaibigan mo, walang mangyayari sa bansa natin kung puro palakasan (When it comes to such nonsense, we should not have options. Apprehend them all. If they say it's your relative, or your friend, our efforts would be in vain if we allow this patronage system),” he added.
Reports said Jaz personally went to the MMDA head office in Pasig City to “negotiate” with the agency after a van she illegally operated was apprehended for colorum violation along Araneta Avenue in Cubao, Quezon City on Thursday.
MMDA Assistant General Manager for Operations, Assistant Secretary David Angelo Vargas, informed Abalos that Jaz claimed to be his niece to avoid apprehension.
Aside from her, the team from the MMDA and the Department of Transportation also arrested the driver of the colorum van identified as Antonio Mirasol who presented a fake driver's license.
Both "Jaz" and Mirasol are facing charges of falsification of public documents with conspiracy, estafa, resistance and disobedience, and light threat. (PNA)
