Senator Francis “Tol” Tolentino apparently did not know that the security escorts provided to him by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) while he was on his way to an official government engagement were using motorcycles illegally marked with police insignia, MMDA acting Chairperson Romando “Don” Artes said on Friday, May 31.

Artes explained that the newly elected Senate majority floor leader asked the help of the agency to get through the traffic of the metropolis last Wednesday, May 29, as he had a meeting with Executive Secretary (ES) Lucas Bersamin and another equally important engagement after that. 

In response, two MMDA enforcers were tasked to escort the convoy of the lawmaker.

“Just like any other request, kami po ay nagbibigay ng assistance sa mga government officials, sa mga foreign dignitaries na minsan kapag tight ‘yung schedule, pinagbibigyan po natin ‘yan, tayo ang nag-assist (Just like any other request, we provide assistance to government officials and foreign dignitaries. Sometimes, when the schedule is tight, we accommodate them and we are the ones who assist them),” Artes told reporters.

“In this particular instance, galing yata po ng probinsya si Senator Francis at may napaka-importanteng meeting siya kay ES Bersamin kaya po siya ay nagmamadali (In this particular instance, Senator Francis came from the province and had a very important meeting with ES Bersamin, which is why he was in a hurry),” he went on.

Unfortunately, Artes said that the MMDA security escorts were flagged down by the Philippine National Police’s Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) for improper use of sirens and police stickers on Diokno Avenue corner Aseana in Parañaque City.

Artes clarified that Tolentino did not know that one of the motorcycles of the MMDA escorts had a police sticker on it.

“Hinihintay ko po ‘yung formal na report ng HPG para maka-action po kami, maimbestigahan kung dapat may pananagutan ‘yung aming tauhan (I am waiting for the formal report from the HPG so that we can take action and investigate if our personnel should be held accountable),” he said.

Based on MMDA’s initial probe, the agency found out that the motorcycles of the enforcers are quite old.

“So naka-ilang salin na po ito sa iba’t ibang motorcycle riders na along the way siguro kasi may mga opisyales kami dito sa MMDA na come and go na ‘yung iba galing sa PNP. So baka along the way nadikitan po ito ng sticker ng pulis kaya po nalagyan ng ganoon (The motorcycles have already been transferred to various motorcycle riders perhaps because we have officials here at the MMDA who come and go, some coming from the PNP. So maybe along the way, they placed a police sticker on it, which is why it ended up like that),” said Artes.

However, the MMDA chairperson said they could not determine when exactly the police sticker was installed on the motorcycle.

The MMDA enforcer caught using police sticker on the MMDA mobile was already charged and was released from police custody on Thursday, May 30, Artes said.

The MMDA is currently assessing whether the two enforcers should be held administratively liable.