MMDA official: Snipers could have mistaken Maria Isabel Lopez for a terrorist

Actress and beauty queen Maria Isabel Lopez could have been mistaken for a terrorist when she drove on the ASEAN lane to avoid the weekend gridlock, an official said Monday.

Emmanuel Miro, head of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority's (MMDA) Task Force ASEAN, said that what Lopez did was dangerous.

"Assuming na may head of state na dumaan at nakaalerto ang mga puwersa at nakaposisyon ang sniper, puwedeng mapagkamalan siyang bomber," Miro said in a press briefing at the Multi-Agency Coordinating Center.

Lopez bragged on her Facebook account that she removed the divider cones and drove on the ASEAN lane to avoid the gridlock in EDSA on Saturday.

She had apologized for the ASEAN lane breach.

Miro said that because of Lopez's stunt, the MMDA had alerted its counterparts in the Philippine National Police to "apprehend violators in the future."

Lopez said that after entering the ASEAN lane, other motorists followed her.

The MMDA said that according to the Land Transportation Office, the vehicles were not physically apprehended because of the No Contact Traffic Apprehension Policy.

“Inalert na ang counterpart namin sa PNP to apprehend violators in the future. Ang pwede lang dumaan sa lanes kapag hindi dumadaan ang leaders ay marked vehicles, ambulance, and friendly forces such as police and military,” he said.

Miro said the MMDA will file today a recommendation for the cancellation or suspension of Lopez's driver's license.

Miro said the agency's legal team was still determining the exact time and location of Lopez’s violation.

“Ipapa-receive namin sa LTO ‘yung sa driver’s license cancellation or suspension. Inaalam pa ‘yung exact location basta sa area between Shaw Boulevard and Ortigas,” he added.

The MMDA was also securing a copy of the closed-circuit television camera footage of the incident.

“‘Yung Facebook post and CCTV, isa-submit in addition sa iba pang evidence,” he said. —ALG, GMA News