Motorist who counterflowed on EDSA busway escorted to condo

The House Committee on Transportation questioned authorities over the “special treatment” given to an SUV driver who was caught counterflowing inside the EDSA busway, Jonathan Andal reported Monday on 24 Oras.

Two weeks have passed since the SUV impeded traffic inside the EDSA busway but lawmakers expressed disbelief as charges have yet to be filed against the erring driver.

It was also revealed that authorities brought the driver to his condominium in Taguig City instead of a police precinct.

“Itong taong ito special treatment ang binigay ninyo eh. Hinatid niyo pa nga sa BGC eh!” said Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop, who is also the chairperson of the committee.

(You gave this person special treatment. You even brought him to his home in BGC!)

“Definitely, we’re not giving him special treatment. Meron po kami pagkakamali and we apologize for that. Dapat dinala yun sa police station. Dapat iniwan po doon. That’s why retraining is essential here,” said Jose Lim, assistant secretary of the Department of Transportation (DOTr).

(Definitely, we're not giving him special treatment. We made a mistake and we apologize for that. He should have been brought to a police station. He should have been left there. That’s why retraining is essential here.)

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said the driver received a ticket for reckless driving and illegal counterflow.

But the MMDA said it is not deputized to file a complaint of driving under the influence of alcohol, especially since it needs a breath analyzer test result, which can only be administered by police or Land Transportation Office personnel.

The DOTr said there was no LTO present during the incident but a Makati police officer arrived at the scene.

The Makati cop, however, did not arrest the driver nor conducted a breath analyzer test despite the motorist smelling of alcohol and even admitting he came from a “gimmick”.

“Sinabi ng enforcers namin na nag-counterflow at mukhang nakainom but police asked if nagreresist daw ba yung driver and they said hindi naman at maayos naman nakakausap and then sabi ng pulis “di naman pala nagreresist, kaya niyo na yan.” Lim said.

(Our enforcers told the police that the driver appeared drunk and counterflowed along the EDSA busway but the police asked if he was resisting. When they said no, the policeman said “you can take care of that since he is not resisting.)

In the House Committee hearing, it was revealed that the vehicle was registered under the driver’s mother.

The LTO found that there was only a vacant lot at the address that the mother indicated in the vehicle’s certificate of registration. The agency admitted that the falsified document is their concern.

It added the driver has already submitted an explanation to the LTO and the case is submitted for resolution. —Mariel Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA Integrated News