‘Revilla’ drivers cited for bus lane violations
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority announced on Thursday that it has issued traffic violation tickets to the two drivers who allegedly tagged Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. for illegal use of the EDSA Bus lane on Wednesday.
MMDA chairperson Atty. Don Artes said that the two drivers appeared before him at the MMDA Head Office in Pasig City on Thursday afternoon as he ordered the issuance of traffic violation receipts to the two drivers for violating the EDSA Bus Lane regulation.
Artes also took the time to ask the two drivers what really transpired during the agency’s operations.
The erring drivers admitted that Revilla was not onboard their vehicle when they were flagged down by traffic enforcers implementing the EDSA Bus Lane regulation and stressed that Revilla is not the owner of the vehicle.
Meanwhile, the apprehending officers admitted that they did not personally see Revilla inside the vehicle and just relied on the statement of its driver who namedropped the senator.
Artes said the owner of the vehicles reached out to him through their common friend.
“The agency considers this a welcome development in light of the incident as the agency conducts a probe and determines the lapses in the procedures in the implementation of the EDSA Bus Lane regulation,” Artes said.
He added that the MMDA has penalized the drivers for violating the EDSA Bus Carousel Lane regulation, with P5000 as first offense, but it is up to Revilla to file the necessary charges against them for name-dropping him.
To recall, Artes also ordered a preventive suspension against New Task Force Special Operations Unit Head Bong Nebrija after he erroneously implicated Revilla for passing through the EDSA bus lane.
Artes said that Nebrija was suspended “not because he was doing his job but because he went overboard” when they conducted the operations.
The MMDA chief was joined by MMDA assistant general manager for Operations Asec. David Angelo Vargas, Atty. Victor Nuñez, Traffic Discipline Office-for Enforcement Director, and traffic enforcers.