3 DOTr personnel in hot water for ‘escorting’ Edsa bus lane violator

MANILA, Philippines— Three transportation personnel may face possible suspension or termination for “escorting” the driver of a sports utility vehicle (SUV) caught using the Edsa carousel lane.

This was according to Department of Transportation (DOTr) Assistant Secretary Jose Lim when the incident was raised during the hearing of the Senate committee on public services on Tuesday.

Lim identified the driver of the SUV as Christopher Lim de Vera, who was caught illegally using the bus lane last July 28. The driver was also drunk, according to the DOTr official, citing initial reports.

READ: MMDA nets over 300 Edsa bus lane violators

But instead of bringing the driver to a police station, he was escorted to his condo in Taguig City by the three personnel of the DOTr’s Special Action and Intelligence Committee for Transportation (SAICT).

“So kung lasing siya, dapat in-arrest siya. Dapat in-impound ‘yung kanyang sasakyan. Bakit ineskortan pa siya pauwi ng bahay. Naging baby pa tuloy siya ng DOTr,” panel chairman Senator Raffy Tulfo asked.

(He should have been arrested if he’s drunk. His vehicle should have been impounded. Why was he escorted home? He ended up being treated like a baby by the DOTr.)

Aside from the SAICT personnel, three traffic enforcers from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and two policemen responded to the incident.

Victor Nunez of the MMDA’s traffic enforcement group explained that they had to send their enforcers there as the SAICT’s team leader could not issue ticket citations to the driver at that time.

“A ticket was issued for illegal counterflow and reckless driving. Although may dumating din pong police (police also came)…” Nunez said.

But the two policemen later left, leaving the three SAICT personnel with the driver, Lim said.

“Kasi po ang nangyari when umalis na po ‘yung PNP (Philippine National Police) and the MMDA, kaysa po pabayaan ‘yung driver na nakainom na mag-drive at meron pang disgrasyang mangyari, hinatid po sila,” the DOTr official explained.

(What happened was that when the police and the MMDA personnel left, instead of allowing the intoxicated driver to drive and risk an accident, they escorted him.)

“When we found out the following day na ito po ‘yung ginawa, pinatawag ko po silang lahat and I asked, binayaran ba kayo? May pera ba kayong tinanggap? Ang sinabi po nila ay wala. Sabi ko may binigay ba na anything, pagkain whatever. Ang sagot nila wala,” he said.

(When we found out the next day what had happened, I called them all in and asked, ‘Did you receive any payment? Did you accept any money?’ They said no. I then asked if they were given anything, like food or anything else. Their response was no.)

“So we cleared that up, but may mali lang po talaga on our side is that dapat sa police station inihatid,” Lim added.

(We cleared that up, but the mistake on our part was that they should have been taken to the police station instead.)

The three personnel are currently under investigation, according to the official.

However, Tulfo wants them sanctioned immediately.

“Ano po ‘yung possible sanction na pwede niyo pong ipataw (What possible sanctions can you impose)?” the senator asked.

“Meron pong administrative sanction and we’re looking also yung criminal liability po,” Lim said.

(There are administrative sanctions, and we are also considering the potential criminal liability.)

When pressed further what possible sanctions could be imposed against the transportation personnel, the DOTr official said: “Beside sa suspension, baka pwede pong matangal sila po.”

(Besides suspension, they can be removed.)

“Very good, that’s music to our ears,” Tulfo said.

The senator also prodded the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to suspend the license of the driver.

“Prove to me na hindi niyo benebeybi-beybi itong Christopher Lim De Vera. Suspendihin nyo yung lisensya nito. I want his license suspended,” he said.

(Prove to me that you’re not treating Christopher Lim De Vera like a baby. Suspend his license. I want his license suspended.)

Greg Pua Jr., executive director of LTO, answered yes.

“The case is already submitted for resolution and we will immediately resolve it,” Pua added. With reports from Arianne Denisse Cagsawa, INQUIRER.net intern

NOTE: The English translations in the article were AI-generated.