The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has revoked the driver’s license of a sports utility vehicle (SUV) driver who drove against the flow of traffic right inside the EDSA Busway in July, the incident went viral after he was reportedly escorted by Department of Transportation (DOTr) personnel to his condominium unit in Taguig City.
In a six-page decision, the LTO held Christopher Jude de Vera liable for administrative cases of disregarding traffic signs for entering the EDSA Busway which is exclusive for passenger buses and obstruction as he was found to have driven against the flow of traffic at the EDSA Busway.
In the same resolution, de Vera was also found to be liable for driving under the influence of liquor and was also found to be an improper person to operate a motor vehicle under Republic Act 4136.
“In view of the foregoing facts and circumstances, respondent Christopher Jude Lim De Vera is declared as an improper person to operate a motor vehicle and held administratively liable for Section 27 (b) of RA 4136,” the dispositive portion of the Resolution dated Aug. 20 read.
“His driver’s license is ordered revoked…and shall be surrendered at the Intelligence and Investigation Division. Failure to surrender his driver’s license shall subject any motor vehicle driven by Mr. De Vera to impounding if apprehended and he will be cited for driving without a valid license,” it added.
The same resolution also penalized de Vera of a P2,000 fine for two traffic violations and required him to undergo a road safety seminar.
The decision stemmed from an incident early morning of July 30 wherein an SUV was seen counter-flowing at the EDSA Busway near Guadalupe in Makati City.
The incident went viral and later, Sen. Raffy Tulfo disclosed that three personnel of the DOTr’s Special Action and Intelligence Committee for Transportation (SAICT) escorted de Vera to his condo unit instead of bringing him to the nearest police station as he appeared to be drunk when he was accosted.
In a budget hearing at the Senate, Tulfo said escorting a violator to his home is highly unusual and insinuated that it could mean that the person involved is a very important person.
In Tuesday’s budget hearing, Tulfo disclosed that de Vera is a son of a consultant to a ranking official of the DOTr.
“He is a consultant of a ranking official (in the DOTr). And I’m sure of that 101 percent,” said Tulfo.
And this is the reason, according to Tulfo, why the SAICT personnel, mostly composed of members of the Philippine Coast Guard which is under the DOTr, were forced to escort him to his condo unit.
In a previous budget hearing, DOTR officials said SAICT personnel decided to escort de Vera to his home to prevent any road accident since he was drunk at the time of the incident.
“Somebody called the Coast Guard and that was the reason why the Coast Guard personnel were rattled and took care of Christopher Lim De Vera b y escorting him to his condo unit and it was a Coast Guard personnel who even drove his car,” said Tulfo.
But Tulfo stressed that this does not happen to ordinary persons violating traffic laws.
“This is not done to ordinary people. This is only done to a VIP,” he added.
Tulfo then urged the DOTr to fairly implement the law.