Transport group Pinag-isang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operaytors Nationwide (PISTON) Monday urged Secretary Jose de Jesus of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) to reconsider his earlier directive lifting the suspension of the direct connect facility of the Land Transportation Office’s information technology (IT) provider.

According to PISTON secretary general George San Mateo, because of the continued operation of the direct facility of Stradcom Corporation, the promise of private emission testing centers (PETC) to waive its collection of IT fees from car registrants is being put off.

“Once the direct connect facility of Stradcom is suspended, the PETCs will waive its IT fee. This will lessen the burden of car registrants, especially operators of public utility vehicles, that are undergoing smoke emission testing,” he said.

San Mateo added that De Jesus should realize that lifting the suspension order issued by LTO chief Assistant Secretary Virginina Torres is also aggravating cases of non-appearance for smoke emission testing.

For his part, Tony Halili of the Private Emission Testing Center Operators Association (PETCOA) said he will bombard De Jesus’ office of evidences proving that Stradcom is tolerating non-appearance of vehicles for smoke emission testing.

“Stradcom has nothing in mind but profiteering, regardless if it will destroy the credibility of the emission testing program. We are very confused why Secretary De Jesus appears to favor Stradcom in lifting the suspension order,” he said.

Earlier, Torres ordered the suspension of the direct connect facility of Stradcom due to complaints that the program is behind the perennial problem of non-appearance for smoke emission testing.

Torres said she staunchly advocates for the eradication of non-appearance cases since it defies the rationale behind the requirement of smoke emission testing, in compliance with the Clean Air Act.