PISTON President freed post-bail
President of the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON), George San Mateo, was freed on Tuesday after posting P4,000 worth of bail.
San Mateo (in red) clenches his fist in the air after being released from his arrest warrant via post bail last Tuesday. Photo from Inquirer.
San Mateo was brought to Station 10 of the Quezon City Police District for booking before eventually The sanction was due to San Mateo’s violation of the Public Service Law or the Commonwealth Act (CA) 146 posed at P4,000 bailable.
Section 20 (k) of the said law stated that unlawful practices or measures done without the approval of the commission are punishable.The case rooted from the first nationwide transport strike held last February which then again happened this Monday, December 4.
The warrant of arrest by Quezon City Trial Branch 43 Judge Don Ace Alagar, was released in the media on December 1.
San Mateo was brought to Station 10 of the Quezon City Police District for booking before eventually going to the Quezon City Trial Hall where he proceeded to post bail.
A trial was set to adjourn on January 24, 2018 after Acting Executive Judge Joel Lopena signed the issuance of the release.
However, in a statement released by Sen. Grace Poe on the same day, she questioned the warrant by saying, “it was unclear based on the cited section of the Public Service Act where San Mateo violated.”
Poe also said that PISTON and other transport groups agreed upon a discourse called out by her committee regarding the matter.
“With their entire livelihood at stake, the least we can do is hear them out. Moving forward, let us give them and other stakeholders a chance to explain so that we can resolve their issues together,” said Poe in her statement.
The transport strike on Monday was set to be cancelled but still managed to push through in España, Manila.
The nationwide transport strikes held were a protest of the Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) Modernization Program which seeks to phase out 15 years or older jeepney units and replacing them with more safe and environmental friendly units.
