MMDA enforcer promoted

MANILA, Philippines - Saturnino Fabros, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) traffic enforcer who was caught on video being slapped, punched and berated by a Philip Morris executive that went viral on the Internet, has been promoted to the next rank.

MMDA Traffic Discipline Office chief Yves Gonzalez last week confirmed Fabros’ promotion from Traffic Constable 1 to Traffic Constable 2.

The MMDA filed last Wednesday a criminal complaint against Robert Blair Carabuena, Philip Morris’ recruitment officer, who manhandled Fabros in Quezon City last Saturday.

MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino said he has directed the agency’s legal service unit to file direct assault charges against Carabuena on behalf of Fabros before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office.

Fabros, 47, said the preliminary investigation of the complaint has been set for Thursday.

“We cannot allow this aggression and shameless attack against our men who are only doing their job as best as they can, regardless of the risks they face in the streets every day,” Tolentino said in a statement.

Asked if he would be willing to forgive Carabuena and mend fences should they again meet at the city prosecutor’s office for the preliminary investigation, Fabros said no.

“I cannot forgive him (Carabuena). The case should be pursued,” Fabros said in Filipino.

He said he is overwhelmed by his instant fame and the wave of support now coming his way in the wake of the manhandling incident.

Video grabs from footage taken by a TV5 news crew shows Robert Blair Carabuena berating MMDA traffic enforcer Saturnino Fabros before hitting him in the face in an incident that took place at the corner of Capitol Hills Drive and Tandang Sora Avenue in Quezon City last Aug. 11.

Fabros, a widower from Pangasinan, said that aside from the legal and moral support he is getting from the MMDA, he has also secured scholarships for his six daughters. He said some of the scholarship offers for his children even came from abroad, including the United States.

Fabros said TV host Arnell Ignacio even gave him a check for P50,000. He said he had deposited the check in a bank for the schooling of his six daughters with ages 18, 16, 13, 12, 10 and 7.

In 1985, armed only with a diploma from the Signal Village National High School, Fabros entered the MMDA as a “metro aide” or a street sweeper. He soon rose to become a traffic enforcer—a post he has been holding for the past 12 years. “I started at the MMDA painting street gutters,” said Fabros in Filipino.

He admitted that he was scared of Carabuena, especially while he was looking at what he believed was a gun inside the latter’s car prior to the slapping and punching incident.

“I was afraid because he was pulling out something when I approached his car, so I backed off,” he said, adding he was caught unprepared when Carabuena got off his car and started berating him.

Fabros said Carabuena then took his MMDA cap and slapped him with it. Not contented, Carabuena proceeded to punch him in the face.

He said the incident happened while Carabuena’s brother Benjamin held him by the arms.

Fabros said Carabuena’s father, who was inside the car then, got off and apologized for his sons.