QUEZON CITY, Philippines (Eagle News) — The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has issued a show cause order on Panda Coach Tours and Travel Inc., and Harana Tours Inc. on Tuesday, February 21, for a hearing next week after the tragic bus accident in Tanay, Rizal that killed 15 people mostly students from the Best Link College in Novaliches, Quezon City.
“By issuing the show-cause order, we are sending a strong message to Harana that they are not off-the-hook,” LTFRB Board Member Aileen Lizada said.
LTFRB also suspended the franchise of the two bus firms while waiting for the investigation results.
The bus line that was supposed to shuttle the students for their three-day team building activity in Sacramento Adventure Camp in Tanay, Rizal is the Harana Tours but they’ve subcontracted the Panda Tours to cover for their lack of bus.
“It is our practice to subcontract each other whenever we need additional busses for special and reserved trips,” Both bus operators admitted.
Meanwhile, the Panda Tours liaison officer, Jona Martires insisted that the bus used to cover the shortage of Harana Tours was in good condition before the trip.
“Ang Harana Tours and the Panda Tours are two separate entities, transport operators. The liability of Panda Tours does not depend on the liability of Harana Tours,” Harana Tours legal counsel Atty. Cesar Briliantes said.
“Harana Tours subcontracted Panda Tours to add to the eight buses they allotted for Best Link College, we don’t have liability for the accident,” Briliantes added.
Eagle News Service