By CESAR JOLITO III

Six vans, including one apprehended at the North Terminal in Bacolod City and four others in Negros Occidental’s Bago City, were seized during a joint anti-colorum operation conducted by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Western Visayas (Region 6) and the Negros Island Region (NIR) this week.

The operation is part of the agency’s “All-Out War” campaign against illegal public transport, aimed at strengthening the enforcement of transport laws and ensuring passenger safety.

According to the LTO, surveillance at Barangay Bata’s North Terminal led to the discovery of a van being used for hire without a valid franchise from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.

When agents approached the vehicle, they saw a dispatcher gathering passengers while the driver was collecting fares ranging from P130 to P200 for trips bound for the cities of Cadiz, Sagay and Escalante.

The 48-year-old driver was issued a temporary operator’s permit for operating a colorum vehicle and reckless driving, while the van was immediately impounded at the LTO – Mansilingan District Office.

In addition, four more colorum vans were caught in Bago City, and another one at the Dumangas Port in Iloilo, as part of the region-wide enforcement effort.

LTO-6 Director Gaudioso Geduspan II, who led the operation along with Assistant Regional Director and concurrent NIR officer-in-charge Jeck Conlu, said the crackdown seeks to uphold fair competition and protect the commuting public.

“This operation aims to strengthen legal transport operations and ensure the safety of the public,” Geduspan said./CJ, WDJ