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Screenshot of Metropolitan Manila Development Authority CCTV footage of EDSA Busway incident

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Screenshot of Metropolitan Manila Development Authority CCTV footage of EDSA Busway incident 

Jonathan Frederic De Santos

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — A traffic violation by an SUV bearing a government protocol plate has stirred discussions on privilege and on equal treatment under the law.</p><p>The incident, which involved a multimillion-peso Cadillac Escalade using a special lane for public utility buses and that was first made public by the Department of Transportation, stirred up anger over the seemingly entitled behavior that regular motorists would have swiftly been <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/13/23/higher-penalties-for-edsa-busway-violators-start">fined at least P5,000 for</a>.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/11/3/suv-with-plate-no-7-accused-of-attempting-to-run-over-traffic-enforcer-2214">READ: SUV with plate No. 7 drives inside bus lane, accused of attempting to run over traffic enforcer</a></div><p>Speculation over who was involved also quickly turned to suggestions on better enforcement when it was found that the SUV and the company that owns it may have links to an actual sitting senator.</p><p>Senators — the only people authorized to request for ‘7’ protocol plates — reported or rumored to have Cadillac Escalades were quick to deny owning any, with Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/11/4/escudero-urges-lto-to-name-owner-of-suv-with-7-plate-in-edsa-busway-incident-1316">stressing that the plate could be fake</a>.</p><p>The LTO has since said that the &#x27;7&#x27; plate did not have the security features that authentic plates that it issues have.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/11/6/tulfo-vip-in-edsa-busway-incident-related-to-a-senator-should-come-forward-1655">Tulfo: ‘VIP’ in EDSA Busway incident related to a senator, should come forward</a></div><div><strong>MYSTERY SOLVED?</strong></div><p>“[T]he mystery behind the ownership and the people behind the controversial SUV with Number 7 protocol plate on EDSA Busway is already solved,” Transportation Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II of the Land Transportation Office declared after a press conference to present a driver and a director of Orient Pacific Corp., the company that owns the Escalade.</p><p>Company representative Omar Guinomla apologized on behalf of Orient Pacific and confirmed to media that the Escalade is registered to the firm and that it is used to transport guests and investors.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/11/6/lto-identifies-owner-of-suv-with-7-plate-that-used-edsa-busway-942">READ: LTO identifies owner of SUV with &#x27;7&#x27; plate that used EDSA Busway</a></div><p>He begged off from giving more details, however, saying Orient Pacific Corp. has launched an &quot;internal investigation&quot; into where the &#x27;7&#x27; plate came from.</p><p>Guinomla added the firm wants to protect the privacy of the Escalade passengers — one of whom flashed their middle finger at traffic enforcers, the DOTr said last Sunday.</p><p>No such consideration was given to Angelito Edpan, the company driver who made a public apology for the incident, took responsibility for it, and was promptly issued a traffic violation ticket. Edpan may yet have his license suspended or revoked.</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wtIF6CaccXE?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></div><p>&quot;We will issue a show-cause order and there could be more administrative charges based on the ongoing investigation,&quot; LTO chief Mendoza promised.</p><p>So far, only Edpan has been immediately held to account for the incident, and it is still unclear how a fake &#x27;7&#x27; protocol plate ended up attached to the Escalade.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/11/7/who-faked-7-plate-of-edsa-busway-violator-probe-ongoing-says-lto-841">READ: Who faked ‘7’ plate of EDSA Busway violator? Probe ongoing, says LTO</a></div><p>Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, who has relatives linked to Orient Pacific Corp., initially declined comment, saying the matter was best left to the LTO.</p><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:550px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" style="position:static;visibility:visible;width:456px;height:523px;display:block;flex-grow:1" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1854404625560187316&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fnews-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Anews-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2024-11-10T08%3A40%3A35.518109%3Adfa66938-671a-4156-8109-9c4bfbaef193%26action%3Dedit&amp;sessionId=4d44a7a4423128487f6541923e57a44ee9320d77&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&amp;width=550px" data-tweet-id="1854404625560187316"></iframe></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal">&quot;I never lent out my official issued license plates to anyone. The official license plate installed on my car is duly registered with the LTO,&quot; <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/11/8/gatchalian-says-he-never-lent-out-his-official-license-plates-1206">Gatchalian eventually told reporters in a text message</a>, with his office adding that the senator has &quot;no connection whatsoever&quot; to Orient Pacific.</p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><strong>CRACKDOWNS AND COUNTERFLOWS</strong></div><div><strong></strong><span id="isPasted" style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"></span></div><p>In the meantime, the LTO has announced &quot;<a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/11/7/lto-eyes-crackdown-vs-temporary-improvised-plate-maker-1610">a crackdown on these temporary or improvised plates</a>&quot; which it has allowed since 2023 under Memorandum Circular JMT-2023-2400 because of a backlog in official license plates.</p><p>The DOTr has also suggested having buses on the special lane go in the opposite direction, counter to the flow of the rest of EDSA, a suggestion that the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority said needs further study because of the risk of accidents.</p><p>&quot;Kung hindi ka sanay sa Metro Manila or hindi mo ine-expect na may makakasalubong ka puwede mag-cause ng aksidente,&quot; <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/2024/11/8/edsa-buses-to-counterflow-mmda-says-needs-more-study-1738">MMDA Chairman Romando Artes said.</a></p><p>(If you are not used to driving in Metro Manila or you do not expect a vehicle going the other way, that could cause an accident.)</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/2024/9/3/lto-summons-mayor-illegally-using-edsa-busway-948">RELATED: LTO summons driver who illegally used EDSA busway, claimed to be ‘mayor’</a></div><p>Joe Ferreria, president of the Automobile Association Philippines meanwhile suggested raising the fines again to as high as P20,000 per violation so &quot;it would hurt&quot; and be a deterrent.</p><p>&quot;Ibatay natin &#x27;yung penalty doon sa basic wage (Let&#x27;s base it on the basic wage),&quot; he said, saying the average motorist in the Philippines makes around P15,000 to P20,000 a month and the prospect of losing a month&#x27;s salary would be enough to give drivers pause.</p><p>&quot;Mga pasaway talaga tayong Pilipino e,&quot; he also said.</p><p>(We Filipinos are really rulebreakers.)</p><div><strong>INEQUITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE</strong></div><p>But for Alt Mobility PH director Ira Cruz Metro Manila&#x27;s transportation, which ideally would help its residents tap into opportunities in the megacity, is to blame.</p><p>He said that transportation in Metro Manila &quot;requires a lot for Filipinos, regardless of mode of transportation, to commute around our cities&quot; which leads to the temptation to disregard traffic rules to get ahead.</p><p>&quot;The behavior of motorists, while not an excuse, is simply a symptom of the mismatch in infrastructure where, according to JICA reports, over 88% of Metro Manila households do not own private vehicles,&quot; he told ABS-CBN News in an online exchange.</p><p>&quot;Blaming it on discipline is an easy way out — instead, we need to design our cities better so that it sustainably meets the mobility needs of people. [At] the end of the day, we just all need to get to our destination and tap the many opportunities our cities have to offer,&quot; he also said.</p><p>Alt Mobility PH and other transport reform advocates have been campaigning for more transportation options, <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/9/22/group-calls-for-congestion-charging-funding-for-public-and-active-transport-on-world-car-free-day-1602">including bike lanes and other infrastructure for active transport</a>.</p><p>&quot;I hope that this will not be a big thing. I just find it weird that this is national news,&quot; Sen. Joel Villanueva said of the backlash over the incident, stressing also that everyone should &quot;be responsible and just do the right thing.&quot;</p><p>But Cruz said resentment over the incident could be over how the EDSA Busway is &quot;one of the few things that ease the daily commuting problems of ordinary Filipinos&quot;, making many protective of them.</p><p>Leyte Rep. Richard Gomez, incensed at being caught in traffic, suggested on social media in August that the bus lane be opened to private vehicles to ease traffic, earning him the ire of social media users.</p><p>&quot;I feel that people are starting to feel the need to defend the few things that actually work and make their lives in our cities bearable,&quot; Cruz said, adding rising ridership on the EDSA Busway should prompt more investment in similar infrastructure.</p><p>Migrante Philippines, a group for families of migrant workers and for Overseas Filipino Workers who have come home, explained the anger over the incident in even simpler terms.</p><p>It said the Escalade — there are only around 100 in the Philippines, according to the LTO — is certainly owned by someone powerful and influential, whether or not they actually are a member of the Senate.</p><p>&quot;Ang pag-abusong pinakita nito ay repleksyon na ang batas sa ating bansa at mga tagapagpatupad nito ay pabor sa mga mayayaman samantalang ang bigat ng kaparusahan at epekto nito ay ipinapataw lamang sa mga mahihirap,&quot; it also said.</p><p>(The abuse shown by the [Escalade owner] is a reflection of how laws in the country and those who implement them favor the wealthy while the full force and effect of it is only imposed on the poor) — <strong>from reports by Rowegie Abanto, RG Cruz, Johnson Manabat and Jamaine Punzalan, ABS-CBN News</strong></p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YZFfCjLo2Ew?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>Speculation over who was involved also quickly turned to suggestions on better enforcement when it was found that the SUV and the company that owns it may have links to an actual sitting senator.</p>

Speculation over who was involved also quickly turned to suggestions on better enforcement when it was found that the SUV and the company that owns it may have links to an actual sitting senator.

WRAP: SUV on EDSA Busway stirs up resentment over special treatment

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WRAP: SUV on EDSA Busway stirs up resentment over special treatment

Jonathan Frederic De Santos,

ABS-CBN News

Published November 10, 2024 08:20 PM PHT

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Updated November 11, 2024 07:00 AM PHT

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EDSA Busway

Protocol Plates

Land Transportation Office

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