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LTO says Maria Isabel Lopez reasoned out need to use toilet
The Land Transportation Office (LTO) on Thursday said actress Maria Isabel Lopez had reasoned the need to use a toilet when she removed traffic cones and drove in a lane on EDSA reserved for Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) delegates.
The former beauty queen appeared before the office of Francis Ray Almora, Director of LTO's Law Enforcement Service where she narrated how the event had transpired. Members of the media were not allowed during the meeting but Lopez and Almora granted interviews after.
Lopez was accompanied by her lawyers, Katherine Panguban and Maria Sol Taule who both assured LTO officials that they will file Lopez's position paper within the day.
"Yes po. She mentioned that she need to go to a toilet," Almora said. "May narration siya ng events but she was required to submit in hard copy."
Almora said this was not an acceptable reason, but added they cannot say yet on what penalties will be imposed on Lopez as they have yet to receive her position paper.
The decision will be released within five days once they have received Lopez's position paper.
Lopez was summoned by LTO to explain why her driver's license should not be suspended or revoked.
LTO said that Lopez disregarded traffic sign, breached security protocol for the 31st ASEAN Summit and also violated the Anti-Distracted Driving Act.
The agency added that Lopez was an "improper person to operate a motor vehicle" since she had endangered the safety of the public and government property.
Meanwhile, Lopez hoped she won't be "singled out" as other motorists supposedly drove in the ASEAN lanes as well.
The LTO, for its part, said it is still reviewing the CCTV footage to validate her claim.
'No one is above the law'
Lopez, the Binibining Pilipinas Universe titleholder in 1982, earlier drew flak after she shared on her Facebook and Instagram accounts that she removed divider cones on EDSA so she could use the ASEAN Lanes and avoid heavy traffic on Saturday, November 11.
While she had already apologized, Lopez also hoped that traffic enforcers of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) who were involved in the incident would not get fired in relation to her actions.
"Sana lang wag matanggalan ng trabaho yung mga MMDA officers dahil baka mamaya ma-penalize din sila sa ginawa ko dahil syempre that means food on their table tapos yung nangyari naman sa ‘kin kabaligtaran 'yun," Lopez said.
"Kumbaga, when you become controversial you get more work. Tapos sila mawawalan ng work. So i don't want them to lose their jobs," she added.
When asked on what she have learned after the incident, Lopez said: "Marami ako siyempreng natutunan, unang una the virtue of patience tapos the virtue of forgiveness tapos natutunan ko din na ang anatomy ng bashers sa social media, well I've learned this lesson way way back. Publicity is publicity."
"Well, things happen for a reason so maganda na ring lesson to sa lahat, sa akin, sa mga officers natin, sa mga MMDA enforcers, sa organizers ng ASEAN organizers, may this be a lesson learned. Mabuti na lang hindi ako ISIS or hindi ako terrorist na nakapasok doon," she added.
