Let LTO resolve traffic mess involving my family’s firm – senator

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SEN. Sherwin Gatchalian yesterday refused to comment on the issue linking his family’s company to the white luxury vehicle with a “fake” protocol “7” plate that was caught on video illegally using the EDSA busway lane on Sunday night traffic violation incident.

“The issue is now with the Land Transportation Office, and it is the agency’s responsibility to resolve the matter accordingly,” Gatchalian said in a brief statement.

He added: “I do not condone the traffic violations committed by the management of Orient Pacific Corporation. As a public servant for 23 years, I have always adhered to following the rules and the laws of our land. Susunod tayo sa batas sa lahat ng pagkakataon. Ito ang ating prinsipyo bilang isang lingkod-bayan sa loob ng mahabang panahon (I follow the law all the time. I have adhered to this principle since I became a public servant).”

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Earlier on Thursday, Gatchalian told reporters in an interview that he saw on television reports that the driver of the Cadillac Esplanade and its registered owner, Orient Pacific Corporation, the have already issued a statement related to the incident.

“Kahapon nanood ako ng news at nakita ko na ang representative ng company may statement na, tapos nakita ko nagbayad na rin ng fine. So, iwan na lang natin sa LTO kung ano ang desisyon, kung ano ang kanilang gagawin (I saw in the news yesterday [Wednesday] and I saw the company representative has issued a statement, and I also saw that they have paid the necessary fines. So, let us just let the LTO decide on what it will do with the case),” he said.

He declined to directly answer queries if any of his family members were aboard the vehicle, or if the protocol license plates were issued to him.

“Iwan na lang natin sa LTO guys, nandoon na sa LTO. Mahirap naman mag-comment habang nag-iimbestiga sila. And the LTO naman is on top of this situation. Let’s leave it at that (Let us just leave it to the LTO because the case is already there. It is hard to make a comment while the LTO is still investigating the matter. Anyway, the LTO is on top of this situation. Let’s leave it at that),” he said.

When asked if it is better to limit the issuance of the number 7 protocol plate, he said it is for Senate President Francis Escudero to decide on the matter.

Meanwhile, Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Romando Artes yesterday said the agency is not withholding CCTV footages which captured the incident.

He said interested parties, including the LTO, Department of Transportation-Special Action and Intelligence Committee for Transportation, and the office of Sen. Raffy Tulfo were given copies of the footage the following day.

It can be recalled that Tulfo, in a press conference on Wednesday, lashed out at the MMDA for being “uncooperative” by not providing copies of the CCTV footages which can help identify the owner of the controversial luxury vehicle.

Artes said they have already clarified the apparent miscommunication with the office of Tulfo and “the latter has requested for the further review of the footage to verify from what area of the busway did the SUV entered and exited and if it re-entered the busway after its apprehension.”

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