DOTr awaits undersecretary’s explanation for road altercation

The Department of Transportation is awaiting Undersecretary for Special Concerns Ricky Alfonso's explanation for a recent road altercation during which his driver reportedly punched and slapped another motorist.

In a statement on Sunday, the DOTr reiterated that a notice to explain (NTE) memo issued on October 10, Acting Transport Secretary Giovanni Lopez gave Alfonso three days to explain why no disciplinary action should be taken against him, as his driver was recorded to have emphasized that the passenger was a “VIP,” and reportedly punched another motorist on the head.

The memo noted that Alfonso’s vehicle was seen bearing a low-number or protocol license plate assigned to the Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeals (CA), the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA), the Sandiganbayan, and the Solicitor General.

“(I)t must be emphasized that public office is a public trust, and public officers and employees must at all times be accountable to the people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency and act with patriotism and justice, and lead modest lives, and that government officials must observe high standards of ethics in public service,” it read.

“Thus, the use of protocol plates does not automatically confer upon government officials a ‘VIP’ status especially when it comes to implementation and compliance with traffic laws, rules, and regulations,” it added.

The memo also noted that public officers are liable for acts done while performing official duties when there is a clear showing of bad faith, malice, or gross negligence. They are also liable for wrongful acts, omissions of duty, negligence, and misfeasance of their subordinates.

The memo was released after Alfonso’s driver got into an altercation with another motorist on Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City, with video footage showing traffic enforcers trying to mediate between the two sides who accused each other of cutting into the other’s path.

Lopez said Alfonso has since apologized for the incident, and claimed that he went out of the vehicle to pacify the situation. — Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas/BM, GMA Integrated News