The Bohol Police Provincial Office (BPPO) is now required to submit all road vehicular accident reports involving public utility vehicles (PUV) to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) within 72 hours.

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of Bohol approved Provincial Ordinance 2016-009 known as the Mandatory reporting by the Philippine National Police (PNP) to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and the Land Transportation Office (LTO) of accidents involving Public Utility Vehicles operating within the Province of Bohol.

Approved on June 10, 2016 by the SP, the ordinance authored by 1st district Board Member Abeleon Damalerio raised the alarm over the spate of road accidents involving PUV leading to damage to property, injuries and untimely deaths to the riding public.

The passing of the ordinance was on offshoot of the failure of the LTFRB to act on a series of road mishaps due to the absence of accident reports from PUV operators as mandated by LTFRB memorandum circular 2011-014.

The LTFRB was clueless on a series of road disasters involving buses of Southern Star Bus Company that reportedly claimed five lives and injured several passengers in Tagbilaran City, Tubigon, Loon and Dimiao.

Only one incident was reported by the management of Southern Star Bus Company, according to the the LTFRB.

LTFRB MC 2011-014 requires PUV operators to report accidents which result in death or physical injuries to the LTFRB within 72 hours from their occurrence.

Although, the police are not mandated to submit road accidents to the LTFRB, Damalerio saw the need to seek the assistance of the BPPO since police traffic investigators are the first responders to vehicular accidents.

Under LTFRB Memorandum Circular 2012-007 that took effect on April 23, 2007, official police reports on road accidents, among other convincing evidence, are used as basis for the issuance of safety compliance orders from the LTFRB.

The office of the governor will craft the implementing rules and regulations of the ordinance. (Chito M. Visarra with reports from Rey Tutas)