A young woman lost her life after the motorcycle she was riding was struck from behind by a luxury SUV along Ortigas Avenue in Mandaluyong City. According to police reports, the driver attempted to flee but was later apprehended. Criminal charges have been filed. The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has issued a show-cause order to the registered owner of the vehicle, placed the SUV under alarm, and preventively suspended the driver's license pending investigation.

The tragedy deserves the full attention of our justice system. But beyond the questions of reckless driving and criminal liability, another detail from the news reports caught my attention –the SUV bore stickers of the House of Representatives.

House Secretary General Cheloy Garafil later clarified that the vehicle was not registered to a member of the House of Representatives, and that there was no record of it having been issued a House vehicle pass during either the 19th or the 20th Congress.

That immediately raised a question. How did the stickers get there?

For many Filipinos, this is not an isolated incident. We have long seen vehicles displaying stickers or decals suggesting an affiliation with the Office of the President, Congress, the Senate, government agencies, the police, the military, media organizations, or simply the words "Official Vehicle."Some are legitimate. Others may not be.

Whatever their origin, such stickers are never just decorative. They send a message. They suggest authority, imply influence, and invite hesitation.

Years ago, I confronted a motorist who had parked behind my vehicle and blocked my way out. His confidence seemed to come not from courtesy or respect for parking rules, but from the large "Office of the President" sticker displayed on his van, as though the decal itself exempted him from ordinary consideration.

I asked him which office he worked in and whether he could name someone there whom I might know. He could not. Instead, he quickly apologized for blocking my vehicle while conducting business nearby.

That brief encounter has stayed with me because it illustrated something deeper than an inconsiderate parking violation. The sticker itself appeared to give the driver confidence. It projected the image of someone who should not be questioned.

Whether genuine or unauthorized, stickers suggesting official connections can influence the behavior of others. Traffic enforcers may hesitate before flagging down a vehicle. Security guards may think twice before asking questions. Parking attendants may simply wave the vehicle through. Even motorists, one of them me, may decide it is easier to avoid a confrontation.

That is why the unauthorized use of government symbols should never be dismissed as a decorative accessory. Public office is not a costume, and the emblems of government are not meant to be borrowed to create the appearance of authority.

The LTO appears to be treating this aspect of the Ortigas incident seriously. Aside from investigating the fatal crash itself, it is also looking into possible violations involving the vehicle's identification and markings. LTO Chief Markus Lacanilao put it succinctly: "Walang sinuman ang higit sa batas (No one is above the law)."

The public expects no less. But perhaps this case should also prompt a broader review. How are official vehicle stickers issued? What security features prevent them from being copied or misused? What penalties apply when someone displays a government sticker without authority?

And who is responsible for enforcing those rules?

These are not minor questions. Every unauthorized government sticker displayed on a vehicle chips away at the credibility of genuine government identification. More importantly, it reinforces the dangerous notion that influence—even borrowed influence—can command privileges unavailable to ordinary citizens.

A woman has died in a tragic road crash. The courts will determine criminal responsibility, and the LTO will complete its administrative investigation. But one lesson is already clear.

On our roads, a government sticker should never become a badge of power. It should identify legitimate public service—not create the illusion that some motorists deserve to be treated differently from everyone else. (Email: [email protected])