Another SUV with senator's protocol plate used EDSA busway

Another vehicle bearing a "7" protocol plate assigned to senators was caught using the EDSA busway Sunday evening.

In its Facebook page, the Special Action and Intelligence Committee for Transportation (SAICT) posted a video of a white SUV with a '7' protocol plate escaping apprehension after it passed through the EDSA Busway at Guadalupe Station's northbound lane and "attempted to run over" Secretariat Sarah Barnachea of the DOTr-SAICT at 6:58 p.m. on Sunday.

"While assisting buses to move forward, Secretariat Sarah Barnachea of the DOTr-SAICT noticed the white SUV illegally passing through the bus lane. Secretariat Barnachea approached the vehicle to apprehend and verify the driver's identity. However, the driver, instead of cooperating, attempted to run over Secretariat Barnachea and flee the scene," the Department of Transportation-SAICT's Facebook post read.

"Despite their efforts to approach the driver politely and perform their duties, the driver continued to resist and eventually reversed the vehicle until reaching the open barrier, where they managed to escape. Adding to the disrespectful behavior, a passenger in the back seat of the SUV raised its middle finger at the officers as they fled," it further read.

The SAICT said the footage will be provided to the Land Transportation Office for the appropriate Show Cause Order against the violator.

"We condemn the actions of the driver and the passenger in this incident. Our officers were simply doing their jobs to maintain order and ensure the smooth flow of traffic. We will work closely with the authorities to identify and apprehend the individuals responsible and hold them accountable for their actions," Executive Assistant to the DOTr Secretary Jonathan Gesmundo was quoted in the Facebook post.

In an interview over Unang Balita, Gesmundo said they will coordinate with the Land Transportation Office to identify the owner of the white SUV, noting that the protocol plate seems to be authentic.

"Mukhang totoong siyete pero malalaman namin 'yan ngayong umaga sa LTO. Ipapa-trace namin kung kaninong sasakyan, kanino nakarehistro," he said.

(It appears that the protocol plate was genuine. We will ask the LTO to trace the owner of the vehicle.)

According to Gesmundo, the DOTR-SAICT officer who tried to apprehend the white SUV was not able to see if there was a senator inside the vehicle.

Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero urged the LTO to identify the owner-user of the sports utility vehicle with a protocol plate for senators who escaped apprehension after using the EDSA busway.

"The actions of the driver/passenger are unacceptable. I urge LTO to identify the owner-user of the vehicle and to inform the Senate as soon as possible," Escudero said in a statement.

Should a member of the Senate is found to be the owner of the vehicle, Escudero said he expects him/her to "come forward and instruct the person/s driving the vehicle to responsibly face the consequences...of their actions" as soon as they find out about the incident and "to surrender and present themselves to the authorities accordingly."

In April, authorities caught cars with ‘7’ and ‘8’ protocol license plates using the EDSA busway. Escudero apologized as he admitted then that the vehicle belonged to him and was being used by the "driver of a family member" when it was caught.

Escudero was not yet the Senate president when the incident happened.

In a statement, LTO said that "there was no protocol plate issued to the particular SUV" that was involved in the incident based on the assessment of the pieces of evidence at hand.

"Currently, we are coordinating with the DOTr-SAICT for more specific details of the white SUV that will lead to the identification of the registered owner," the LTO said.

"We assure the public that a Show Cause Order (SCO) will be issued to the registered owner and the driver of the SUV involved in the soonest possible time for them to explain the string of violations we already identified based on our existing laws and rules and regulations, including disregarding traffic signs and improper person to operate a motor vehicle," it added.

The LTO also said that they will coordinate with Escudero's office with regard to all information that it will obtain from their investigation on the incident.

Based on the DOTR's policy, only the following officials are allowed to use the busway:

• LTFRB-authorized buses for the EDSA busway route, including buses with special permits and/or franchises to operate on the EDSA busway route;
• on-duty ambulances, fire trucks, and Philippine National Police vehicles;
• service vehicles performing their duties for the EDSA Busway Project, including but not limited to construction, security, janitorial, and maintenance services within the EDSA Busway;
• President of the Philippines;
• Vice President of the Philippines;
• Senate President;
• Speaker of the House of Representatives; and
• Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

Stiff fines have also been imposed for EDSA Busway violators. First-time offenders are fined P5,000, while the second offense would entail a P10,000 fine, a one-month suspension of the driver’s license, and a mandatory road safety seminar.

The third offense would have a P20,000 fine on top of a one-year suspension of the driver’s license, while the fourth offense would have a P30,000 fine and a recommendation to the Land Transportation Office for the driver’s license to be revoked.—AOL, GMA Integrated News