SecGen clarifies: No special '8' plate issued to House members

House Secretary General Reginald Velasco said Wednesday that the chamber has yet to release any official plate bearing the number "8" to lawmakers.

Velasco said he has also issued an instruction prohibiting House members from using the protocol plate.

Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairperson Romano Artes earlier said that a member of the House of Representatives was among those apprehended by the MMDA over the unlawful use of the EDSA Bus Lane.

"The House of Representatives has not released, or authorized the use of official plates for vehicles of House members," Velasco said in a statement.

Likewise, Velasco said he will be seeking representation with the Land Transportation Office and the MMDA for the apprehension of the drivers of vehicles bearing the 8 plates and confiscation of the expired or spurious plates.

GMA News Online spotted a vehicle bearing a special 8 plate within the Batasang Pambansa complex also on Wednesday.

The same plate indicated the 19th Congress, 2022 to 2025, referring to the term of office of those members of the 19th Congress elected in the 2022 elections.

"Someone has reported to me that there were vehicles with protocol plate 8 with CA (Commission on Appointments) or just 8. That is why we issued an order na bawal munang gamitin iyan (protocol plate 8)," Velasco said.

"Kasi tulad niyan, may nahuli sa EDSA na expired na. Kaya suspended muna ang paggamit niyan," Velasco added.

(The use of that plate is suspended, given that there's a vehicle carrying such protocol plate which was apprehended by authorities for violating traffic rules.)

Velasco did not name names but the MMDA announced that one of the vehicles caught in violation of using the EDSA Busway Lane was a vehicle that carried protocol plate 8 owned by former Ako-Bicol party-list Christopher Co.

Velasco said there are protocol plates issued by the Commission on Appointments secretariat carrying number 8 for a House member and number 7 for a senator. Some also are able to obtain made-to-order plates, he added.

"Until we have sorted this out, wala munang gagamit ng 8. Huwag muna gamitin, kahit sino pa ang nag issue," Velasco said.

"We will announce the findings of our investigation, including on those using the protocol plates when they are already former House members when they should not use it anymore," he added.

Co, in a separate statement, denied that he owned the vehicle apprehended by the MMDA. 

"I don't own that vehicle and even when I was still a part of Congress, I never used the special plates," Co said.—VAL/LDF, GMA Integrated News