The two drivers who name-dropped Sen. Ramon "Bong" Revilla, Jr. when their vehicles were flagged down for using the EDSA Bus Lane were both issued with a citation ticket with penalty of P5,000 each, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said on Thursday, Nov. 16.
MMDA chairman Don Artes said the two went to his office on Thursday afternoon to shed light on the incident that led to the suspension of Bong Nebrija as head of the New Task Force Special Operations Unit.
MMDA enforcers issue citation tickets to the two drivers who name-dropped Sen. Bong Revilla when their vehicles were flagged down on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023, for unauthotized use of EDSA Bus Lane. Two two drivers also explained their side to MMDA chairman Don Artes. (photo: MMDA)
“The two drivers admitted that Senator Revilla was not onboard their vehicle when they were flagged down by traffic enforcers implementing the EDSA Bus Lane regulation,” said Artes.
“Also, Senator Revilla is not the owner of the vehicle,” he added.
On Wednesday, an MMDA traffic enforcer flagged down two vehicles for using the EDSA Bus Lane. Their drivers, however, name-dropped Revilla in a bid to avoid a citation ticket.
The name of Revilla surfaced after Nebrija was reported to have said that the senator was apprehended for using the EDSA Bus Lane.
He later recanted his statement and apologized to Revilla, saying that he only relied his statement from the report given to him by the traffic enforcer whom he said also admitted that he did personally saw Revilla inside any of the two vehicles.
After the two drivers explained their side, Artes ordered the issuance of traffic violation tickets to the two drivers for violating the EDSA Bus Lane regulation.
“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,” said Artes.
He said the MMDA has penalized the drivers for violating the EDSA Bus Carousel Lane regulation, with P5000 as first offense, but it is up to Senator Revilla to file the necessary charges against them for name-dropping him.