Gatchalian mum on whether family member owns EDSA bus lane SUV with '7' plate, denounces violation
Sen. Win Gatchalian refused to confirm or deny that his family member owns the sports utility vehicle with the senator-issued plate number 7 that passed the exclusive EDSA bus lane and allegedly tried to run over a female traffic enforcer.
"Kahapon nanood ako ng news. Nakita ko 'yung representative ng company (Orient Pacific Corporation) may statement na, tapos nakita ko rin na nagbayad na ng fine. So, iwan na lang natin sa LTO (Land Transportation Office) kung ano 'yung kanilang desisyon at 'yung kanilang gagawin," he told reporters in an ambush interview on Nov. 7, Thursday.
Asked if his brother owned the vehicle, Gatchalian paused first. He didn't explicitly answer the question and instead said the documents were already with the LTO.
"Iwan na lang natin sa LTO," he said. "Sa pagkakaalam ko, kahapon sa news, nag-iinvestigate na rin sila."
Asked if it's possible that he owns the plate but was just used without his knowledge, Gatchalian, already responding faster, reiterated that the matter should be left in the hands of the LTO.
"Andoon na sa LTO. Mahirap naman magcomment habang nag-iimbestiga sila," he said, adding the LTO is on top of the situation.
He was then asked whether he has talked to his brother, or even his father or the driver of the vehicle, about the issue. To which, he answered, "Let's leave it at that for now," before stepping back from the reporters.
In a separate statement on Facebook, Gatchalian said he doesn't "condone the traffic violations committed by the management of Orient Pacific Corporation."
He noted that he has always "adhered to following the rules and the law of our land" in his 23 years of public service.
"Susunod tayo sa batas sa lahat ng pagkakataon. Ito ang ating prinsipyo bilang isang lingkod-bayan sa loob ng mahabang panahon," he said. "The issue is now with the [LTO], and it is the agency's responsibility to resolve the matter accordingly."
Sen. Villanueva hopes issue won't be a 'big thing'
Sen. Joel Villanueva, in a press conference on Nov. 7, said he's hoping that the issue won't be a "big thing."
"Sorry ah, I just find it weird na it’s a national news," he said, adding that the LTO should just do its part.
He, however, noted that he won't allow his family members to use a vehicle with plate number 7.
"Mahigpit kami diyan, so much responsibility,” said Villanueva. "I don’t believe na pwede, that’s what I believe. Kahit pa sabihin mong pwede, kahit pa sabihin ng LTO na pwede."
'No attempt to withhold or hide something'—MMDA
The Metro Manila Development Authority said the closed circuit television footage of the incident was released immediately to requesting parties, including the Department of Transportation's Special Action and Intelligence Committee for Transportation (DOTr-SAICT) as well as Sen. Raffy Tulfo, who has conducted his own investigation and revealed that the vehicle was "related" to a senator.
In a statement, MMDA Chair Don Artes said there was no attempt to “withhold or hide something from the incident,” as all requests were granted "in minutes’ time.”
“We’ve granted the DOTr-SAICT request for the said CCTV footage on the same day," Artes said, "and had also provided the same for the DOTr, LTO, and the office of Senator Raffy Tulfo, through his staff Atty. Angel Marasigan, on the next day, Nov. 4."
Tulfo called for further review of the footage to verify from what area of the busway the vehicle entered and exited and whether it re-entered the busway after fleeing.
Artes said no MMDA personnel were deployed in the area since their withdrawal on June 30, citing 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."
The management, he noted, was also transferred exclusively to the DOTr-SAICT, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board. and the Philippine Coast Guard.
'Disturbing incident'
In a Facebook post on Nov. 3, the DOTr-SAICT shared a video of a "disturbing incident" at 6:58 p.m. at Guadalupe Station's northbound lane.
In the first-person video, the DOTr-SAICT enforcer asks the driver to stop and back up. "While assisting buses to move forward, Secretariat Sarah Barnachea of the DOTr-SAICT noticed the white SUV illegally passing through the bus lane," the agency said in the caption. "Secretariat Barnachea approached the vehicle to apprehend and verify the driver's identity. However, the driver, instead of cooperating, attempted to run over Secretariat Barnachea and flee the scene."
Another traffic enforcer, identified as Secretariat Reyno, came to assist Barnachea.
"Despite their efforts to approach the driver politely and perform their duties," the DOTr-SAICT said, "the driver continued to resist and eventually reversed the vehicle until reaching the open barrier, where they managed to escape."
A passenger in the back seat also allegedly raised their middle finger at the officers, the agency added.
In the latter half of the video, the back seat window partially opens, briefly revealing a man using his phone, seemingly documenting the officer apprehending them. In the passenger seat, another man can be seen as he guides the driver to avoid hitting anything. He ignores Barnacheo, who asks for the driver's license.
On Nov. 6, the LTO held a press conference with the driver, identified as Angelo Edpan, and Omar Guinomla, director of Orient Pacific Corporation, which owns the vehicle, a Cadillac Escalade.
Edpan said he didn't know who his passengers were and claimed to have gone to the bus lane on his own, saying he was in a rush thinking there were no people since it was a Sunday. He also said he had a stomachache, even as they came from a restaurant located in Parañaque. They passed through the Skyway afterward to go to a mall in Mandaluyong.
The LTO issued a traffic violation ticket to Edpan on-camera, fining him P9,000 for disregarding traffic signs, reckless driving, usage of low-numbered protocol license plates assigned to government officials, and failure to attach his regular plate.
The agency said it would issue a show cause order and determine whether the driver committed other violations, though said the passengers won't be penalized.
The EDSA busway is reserved for public utility buses, emergency vehicles like ambulances and firetrucks, and marked government vehicles responding to emergencies.
In November 2023, the DoTr noted that the country's top officials—the President, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court—may use the lane “to provide assistance in the performance of their duties.” The officials have to inform the DOTr ahead of time, and once approved, the plate number will be given to traffic enforcers.
At the time, DOTr Command and Control Operations Center Chief Charlie Del Rosario told CNN Philippines' The Source that they pertain to those “performing duties and responsibilities within the busway” like construction, security, janitorial, and maintenance services. But he said there are special cases, like when the Department of Social Welfare and Development needed to respond to a disaster.
Authorities have apprehended unauthorized vehicles passing through the bus lane.
Unauthorized usage of the EDSA bus lane incurs a P5,000 fine on the first offense; a P10,000 fine, one-month suspension of driver’s license, and a road safety seminar on the second offense; a P20,000 fine and one-year suspension of driver’s license on the third offense; and P30,000 fine and cancellation of driver’s license on the fourth offense.