Starter-Piston drivers succeeded in having the Show Cause Order (SCO) filed against them by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB)-Region 4A dismissed. The SCO accused the drivers of “violating” the agency’s rules when they participated in the Southern Tagalog organizations’ caravan during Marcos’s 4th SONA.

The group learned of the decision on the SCO on September 5. On that same day, Starter-Piston also held a rally at the LTFRB-4A office in Lipa City, Batangas. The group had been holding continuous protests since August.

The group had earlier denounced the SCO. According to Starter-Piston, the alleged violation of plying through the wrong route is mere outright harassment by the agency. The group asserted that they did not operate as public transport vehicles when they joined the caravan but as private vehicles.

The group said that the issued SCO obstructed their livelihood and threatened to revoke their franchise. The group’s chairperson Ka Elmer said the participation of drivers like him in the protest action during the SONA is their democratic right, which must be respected.

He said that although they welcomed the dismissal of the SCO, the agency had clearly used it as a tactic to suppress the drivers. The group added that their struggle does not end with the dismissal and they would continue to join more protest actions.