Congress is now asking assistance from the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to apprehend motorists illegally using expired or counterfeit ‘8’ special plates assigned for the use of House members.
Special 8 plates are assigned for the use of congressmen, while 7 plates are for senators.
“The House of Representatives has not released or authorized the use of official plates for vehicles of House members,” said House secretary general Reginald Velasco in a statement.
“I am seeking representation with the LTO and the MMDA to apprehend the drivers of vehicles bearing 8 plates and confiscate the expired or spurious plates.”
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Velasco’s statement comes after a highly public issue between MMDA new task force operations head Bong Nebrija and Senator Ramon ‘Bong’ Revilla this week.
Revilla vs Nebrija EDSA Busway issue: What happened?
Traffic enforcers are keeping a close eye on the EDSA Busway this week after higher fines for motorists driving illegally in the EDSA bus lane began implementation on Monday, November 16. On the first day alone, more than 500 motorists were apprehended, including three that tried to run from traffic enforcers. The higher fines for violators start at P5,000 for the first offense, but an automatic third offense is meted out to motorists who attempt to escape apprehension.
On Wednesday, November 15, MMDA traffic enforcers stationed at the EDSA Busway in front of SM Megamall radioed Nebrija that they had apprehended a senator’s convoy in the bus lane. According to Nebrija, the reporting enforcer told him that it was Revilla’s convoy and the senator was in one of the vehicles, so he gave the order to let the convoy through without imposing a fine: “I made the call based on the enforcer’s recommendation.”
After Nebrija discussed the incident during a media forum, Revilla denied Nebrija’s claims: “My daily commute is from the south to the Senate, and there is no possibility I will be on EDSA in Mandaluyong,” he said in a statement. “When attending to official functions in the north, I take the Skyway from and back to the south.
“Kung totoo man na may nasita silang gumagamit ng aking pangalan, dapat ay ginawa nila ang kanilang trabaho na tiniketan ang lumabag.”
The MMDA then released its own statement: “Based on our CCTV footage, the license plate of the flagged down vehicle is a protocol plate, and we are probing why the name of the senator was being involved. Likewise, the agency wanted to extend our apologies to the senator pending the investigation.”
Later in the day, agency chief Atty. Romando Artes and Nebrija went to the Senate to personally apologize to the Revilla. Effective November 16, Nebrija is also under a 15- to 30-day preventive suspension while the MMDA conducts its investigation into the incident.
Revilla initially suggested a recall of the MMDA’s 2024 budget, but changed his mind after Nebrija’s apology.
EDSA Busway higher fines and authorized users
Effective November 13, the following fines and penalties are given to motorists caught illegally using the EDSA bus lane:
- First offense – P5,000
- Second offense – P10,000, plus one-month suspension of driver’s license and mandatory road safety seminar
- Third offense – P20,000, plus one-year suspension of driver’s license (also given to violators who try to escape apprehension)
- Fourth offense – P30,000, plus possible revocation of driver’s license
Only public utility buses, emergency vehicles like ambulances, and vehicles involved in the construction of the EDSA Busway. In a press conference on November 16, Artes said that clearly marked government vehicles will not be allowed on the EDSA Busway anymore beginning November 20.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has also approved Artes’ recommendation to allow convoys of the President, the Vice President, the Senate president, the House speaker, and the Supreme Court chief justice to use the bus lane.
UPDATE, 16 November 2023, 12:00pm: This story has been updated to reflect the removal of clearly marked government vehicles from the list of vehicles that are authorized to use the EDSA Busway.
