Drivers who 'name-dropped' Bong Revilla in EDSA bus lane gaffe to surrender to MMDA

The drivers who tagged Senator Bong Revilla in the EDSA bus lane violation will face Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) officials today to surrender themselves, MMDA Chairman Romando Artes said Thursday.

“Nag-reach out na rin po ‘yung may-ari ng dalawang sasakyan na nag-name drop kay Senator Revilla. Pupunta po ‘yung driver mamaya. Before lunch daw po ay pupunta sila dito para po akuin ‘yung kanilang pagkakamali at mapatawan sila nang kaukulang penalty para d'on po sa paggamit ng bus lane,” Artes said in a press conference.

(The owner of the two vehicles whose drivers tagged Senator Revilla reached out to me. They are scheduled to meet us before lunch to admit to their mistakes and face the penalties for using the bus lane.)

According to the MMDA chairman, the owner of the vehicles apprehended last Wednesday reached out to him through their common friend.

Artes said the MMDA will only penalize the drivers for their traffic violations but it is up to Revilla to file necessary charges against them.  

“Ipapadala po natin kay Senator Revilla at s’ya na po gumawa ng necessary actions sa nag-namedrop sa kanya,” he said.

(We will send the names to Senator Revilla and it’s up to him to take necessary actions against those who tagged him in this issue.)

Artes said the traffic enforcers who reported to suspended MMDA Task Force Special Operations chief Bong Nebrija that Revilla was allegedly inside the vehicle were also called to verify if the individuals who will face the MMDA authorities were the same people apprehended last Wednesday.

The MMDA chairman also said that they are drafting a complaint to be filed in the Land Transportation Office so they can identify whose names were used in the vehicle registration.

On the other hand, Artes said the MMDA has no policy on letting government officials get away with traffic violations due to inter-agency courtesy.

This was one of the reasons why Nebrija was put under preventive suspension, he said.

“Binanggit po ni Col. Bong Nebrija na may discretion ang MMDA kung sino ang huhulihin at kung may sakay na VIP--congressman o senator ay binibigyan ng kurtesiya. Wala pong ganong policy ang MMDA,” Artes said.

“Kami po ay strictly ine-enforce kung ano ang listahan na binigay ng [Department of Transportation]. Kung wala po sa listahan na ‘yan ay di po pwedeng gumamit ng bus lane at kung gumamit po ay ilegal po 'yan at kailangan tiketan,” he added.

(Retired Col. Bong Nebrija mentioned that MMDA has the discretion whether to apprehend or not vehicles carrying VIPs. MMDA doesn’t have that kind of policy. We strictly enforce the guidelines of the DOTr. If the vehicle is not included on the list allowed to use the bus lane, then that is illegal and they should be fined.)

Artes said they will not consider ranks in issuing tickets for traffic violations.

“Walang tatangiin, walang sisinuhin. Unfair po ‘yan sa ating motorista na nahuhuli at natitiketan. Kaya po 'pag wala po sa listahan, kailangan mong hulihin,” he said.

(We will not consider ranks. That is unfair to the motorists apprehended and issued with traffic violation tickets. If they are not included on the list of exempted vehicles, they should be apprehended.)

On Wednesday, Artes announced that Nebrija will be put under preventive suspension starting November 16 for disclosing that Revilla was apprehended for using the EDSA bus lane—a report which the senator denied.

Artes said the enforcers and Nebrija did not see if the senator was indeed inside the vehicle.

The suspension may take 15 to 30 days, Artes said, as they need to fully investigate the matter.—AOL, GMA Integrated News