Maria Isabel Lopez may lose driver's license

Actress Maria Isabel Lopez may lose her driver's license after bragging that she removed traffic cones and entered the ASEAN Lane on EDSA on Saturday.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said they have recommended the suspension of Lopez's driver's license.

"That lane has been the subject of a series of [meetings] ng security. [W]e are the host country, mabuti at walang nangyaring banggaan otherwise the Philippine government particularly MMDA will be hit and not the beauty queen, who is also a [representative] of the country," LTFRB board member Aileen Lizada said in a text message to reporters.

"LTO has been informed of her violation," she added. "[S]he is not a good role model as a beauty queen."

Lopez, who was the 1982 Binibining Pilipinas Universe 1982 titleholder, drew flak after sharing on her Facebook account that she removed the divider cones separating the ASEAN Lanes reserved for delegates to avoid heavy traffic on Saturday.

"Driving with hazards 'on' at the #aseanlane. I removed the divider cones!! Then all the other motorists behind me followed! MMDA thinks I’m an official ASEAN delegate! If you can't beat ‘em, join them! #nosticker #leadership," Lopez said on her Facebook post.

Lizada said she had asked Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa to investigate Lopez for possible "security breach."

"Paimbestigahan natin," Dela Rosa said in a text message to Lizada which the LTFRB official shared to reporters.

Lizada said the LTFRB will review closed-circuit television camera footage in the area where the breach happened to check details of other motorists who followed Lopez's vehicle.

"Per MMDA, no contact policy yung mga cars na sumunod," she said.

The "No Contact Traffic Apprehension" policy of the MMDA utilizes "CCTV, digital cameras and/or other gadget or technology to capture videos and images to apprehend vehicles violating  traffic laws, rules and regulations."

In a separate statement, Task Group Commander on Route Security and National Capital Region Police Office chief Director Oscar Albayalde said that the police "strongly  support" the recommendation for the suspension or revocation of Lopez's driver's license for "violation of traffic rules and also for breach of security."

"A person of her stature should be an example to the Filipino community but she did just the contrary," Albayalde said.

"May this incident serve as a stern warning and reminder to the public that all agencies are communicating and are all working hard to provide security and order for the ASEAN summit," he added.

Albayalde said that any violation on the protocols and rules set by the ASEAN task forces "shall not be tolerated." —ALG, GMA News