Palace backs traffic enforcer mauled by Maserati driver in traffic case

HOT DRIVE The Quezon City police tagged Joseph Russel Abacan Ingco of New Manila as the Maserati sports car driver who allegedly assaulted an MMDA traffic constable Thursday morning. PHOTO BY MMDA CONSTABLE RODOLFO FERNANDEZ

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang has thrown its support behind a traffic constable allegedly mauled and dragged by a businessman driving a Maserati luxury car in Quezon City last week.

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma described as “unreasonable” the attack against Jorbe Adriatico, who suffered a broken nose during an altercation with suspect Joseph Russel Ingco.

“It’s not reasonable that [an encounter] would lead to an assault against another person or even a traffic constable,” Coloma said over government radio.

Coloma made it clear that the MMDA had the support of the Palace, citing the “presumption of regularity in the performance of official duties” of traffic constables.

Coloma questioned why it took Ingco awhile to surface and address the allegations by Adriatico.

“It seems that he waited a long time to admit his involvement and evading [the issue] would not help in providing the right information on what really happened,” he said.

Accompanied by his lawyer, Ingco surfaced more than a day after he was caught on video dragging Adriatico by the collar while driving his Maserati.

In television interviews, Ingco appeared meek and claimed that it was Adriatico who had attacked him. He admitted punching Adriatico but only because the traffic constable wouldn’t let go of his shirt.

Ingco said he would also press charges against Adriatico, who earlier filed a criminal case against him.

MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino said Saturday that Ingco was away to “rehearse” his version of the incident and “and contact the people he needed to talk to, apart from his lawyer.”

Coloma said the people involved in cases like this should “help in the investigation by presenting themselves and presenting their side.”