The Land Transportation Office (LTO) on Wednesday presented the driver of an SUV with protocol plate number “7” that illegally entered the EDSA Busway and almost hit a traffic enforcer before fleeing.
In a press conference, LTO chief, Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II, identified the driver as Angelito Edpan, driving a white Cadillac Escalade registered to Orient Pacific Corp. (OPC).
“We were contacted yesterday (Nov. 5) and they informed us that they will show up to take full responsibility for that incident,” Mendoza said.
He said the LTO was already identifying the vehicle as there are only about 100 Cadillac Escalades in the country and less than 20 are white.
Edpan’s driver’s license was confiscated during the conference and was issued a traffic violation ticket.
“We will issue a show cause order and there could be more administrative charges based on the ongoing investigation,” he said.
OPC Director Omar Guinomla apologized for the incident, saying an internal investigation is ongoing when asked how the company was able to obtain a protocol plate that is exclusive for elected government officials, particularly senators.
“We are conducting an investigation as to how that happened. We will cooperate with the investigation. We will make a formal statement once we have finalized that investigation,” Guinomla said.
Based on records of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), two real estate firms with the same name are connected to billionaire entrepreneur William Gatchalian, father of Senator Sherwin Gatchalian.
On Sunday, the Department of Transportation’s Special Action and Intelligence Committee for Transportation (DOTr-SAICT) reported an incident where a white SUV with protocol plate “7” illegally passed through the northbound lane of the EDSA Busway in Guadalupe, prompting a traffic enforcer to flag down the vehicle.
However, the SUV tried to flee and almost ran over the traffic enforcer.
The DOTr-SAICT added that a passenger in the back seat raised a “middle finger” at the officers as they fled.
Senator’s kin?
Meanwhile, Senator Raffy Tulfo claimed that the unidentified passenger of the SUV is related to a senator.
“Although I also know for a fact na ito ay related sa isang senador, pero hindi yung senador ang sakay ng SUV na yan (that this is related to a senator, but that senator was not on board that SUV) at that time,” he said in a press briefing without naming the senator.
He said that based on information received by his office, the passenger landed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 from Narita, Tokyo via flight PR 427 at 6:06 p.m. on Nov. 3.
He said the passenger left the airport at 6:30 p.m. and passed through Skyway northbound going to Magallanes and exited to EDSA northbound, where the vehicle was apprehended before it reached Solaire in Quezon City.
Tulfo added that he is not convinced that the protocol plate is fake, suspecting that it was used by the passenger without the senator’s permission.
He also called on the passenger to come forward so the public would stop suspecting that a senator was involved in the incident.
“Kung ako doon sa pasahero, huwag mo nang pahirapan pa ang maraming tao. Aminin mo na, sabihin mo na nagkamali ka, i-surrender mo yung driver mo, and mag-apologize. Kasi ngayon ang nangyayari, napagbibintangan ang 24 ninyong senators and I know for a fact na wala sa 24 senators ang involved doon sa iskandalong iyon (If I were the passenger, don’t inflict harm on other people. Admit it, say you made a mistake, surrender your driver, and apologize. Because what is happening now is that 24 senators are being accused, and I know for a fact that none of the 24 senators was involved in that scandal),” he said.
Tulfo, who chairs the Public Services panel, said he is planning to file a resolution seeking to investigate the incident and invite concerned agencies and individuals to explain.
Photo credit: Facebook/raffytulfoinaction