MANILA – The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Thursday clarified that its CCTV footage of a white SUV with protocol plate no. ‘7’ was released immediately to requesting parties and was not withheld.
In a statement, MMDA Chair Don Artes said there was no attempt to “withhold or hide something from the incident” and all requests for the footage were granted in “minutes’ time.”
“We’ve granted the Department of Transportation (DOTr) – Special Action and Intelligence Committee for Transportation (SAICT) request for the said CCTV footage on the same day and had also provided the same for the DOTr, Land Transportation Office (LTO), and the office of Senator Raffy Tulfo, through his staff Atty. Angel Marasigan, on the next day, November 4,” Artes said.
He said the apparent miscommunication with Tulfo has been addressed and the latter has called for further review of the footage to verify from what area of the busway the SUV entered and exited and whether it re-entered the busway after fleeing.
He added that there were no MMDA personnel deployed in the busway since their withdrawal on June 30, and the busway management was transferred exclusively to the DOTr-SAICT, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
“The MMDA’s decision to withdraw its personnel assigned in the EDSA busway was due to the need of the agency to augment its personnel deployment in consideration of the rerouting brought upon by the ongoing rehabilitation of flyovers and bridges along EDSA,” he said.
On Wednesday, the LTO presented the driver of the white Cadillac Escalade with protocol plate no. ‘7’ as Angelito Edpan. The vehicle is registered under the Orient Pacific Corp (OPC).
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) records show that two companies with the same name as OPC are connected to billionaire entrepreneur William Gatchalian and other family members.
Senator denounces violations
Meanwhile, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian assured that he does not tolerate the traffic violations committed by the individuals in the white SUV.
“I do not condone the traffic violations committed by the management of Orient Pacific Corp. As a public servant for 23 years, I have always adhered to following the rules and the laws of our land,” Gatchalian said in a statement.
“The issue is now with the Land Transportation Office, and it is the agency’s responsibility to resolve the matter accordingly.” (With a report from Wilnard Bacelonia/PNA)