SUV with plate kills guard

MANILA, Philippines – A speeding sport utility vehicle (SUV) bearing a congressional protocol ‘8’ plate rammed and killed a security guard and seriously wounded another at around 2 a.m. Sunday near Trinoma Mall on North Edsa in Quezon City.

The victim was identified as Marbert Raz, 30, a resident of Cubao, Quezon City. His wounded companion was identified as Romy Rivera, of the same address.

LTO chief Alberto Suansing said he had ordered the Land Transportation Office-Intelligence and Investigation Division (LTO-IID) to summon the owner of the Nissan X-Trail (ZAK-158), which is registered to Sharon Faye Bautista of No. 18 Agustin St., Barangay Bungad, San Francisco del Monte Avenue, Quezon City.

Suansing said he had instructed LTO-IID to investigate how the owner of the vehicle was able to acquire the protocol plate.

“The owner of the vehicle has a lot of questions to answer. Where did he get the protocol plate? If it’s not fake, then who owns the special plate?” Suansing said.

He said the protocol plate was recorded on camera by responding newsmen, but was later removed when the car was brought to the police station.

Based on the official police report, the X-Trail was being driven by 21-year old Jason Bautista, a sales agent from Morning Breeze Subdivision in Kalookan City.

The LTO chief said Bautista has been charged with reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and physical injuries before the prosecutor’s office.

Above the law

Meanwhile, a former top police official yesterday said that members of the House of Representatives had lobbied for the removal of their districts in the congressional protocol plate to hide their identity from their political enemies, which led to its revision.

He said the revision of the congressional plates had practically allowed terrorists to gain free access and carry out a bomb attack right at the Batasang Pambansa complex that resulted in the death of Basilan Rep. Wahab Akbar.

“This is the first time in the history of Congress when the special plates are used to hide the identity of lawmakers. Even during the martial law years, members of the Batasang Pambansa indicate their districts on their special plates,” the official said.

The official also hit Speaker Prospero Nograles for his outrage over the move to review the congressional plates.

He said Nograles and former House speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. were the ones who strongly lobbied for the removal of the congressional district on the special plates.

The use of protocol plates has drawn outrage even from some members of Congress, who perceive that it has practically put government officials beyond the reach of traffic enforcement officers.

In fact, an opposition lawmaker has filed a bill seeking to ban and penalize the use of low number protocol plates, including the controversial number 8 special plate issued to members of the House.

Cayagan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, who filed House Bill 2346 or an act banning the issuance of low numbered protocol license bill, said that the proposed measure is aimed at putting an end to the anomalous practice of high government officials’ flouting traffic laws.

“No one is above traffic laws,” Rodriguez told The STAR in a telephone interview.

Under his proposed measure, only the Office of the President will be allowed to use a special plate bearing the number 1.

The no. 2, which is issued to the Vice President, and the succeeding numbers up to 16, which are used by regional trial judges, will no longer be allowed.

Rodriguez, who declined to use the three sets of special 8 license plates issued to his office, said that lawmakers should not get special treatment on the streets particularly during rush hour.

He said abusive drivers of high government officials are using low-numbered plates, which connote power and influence, to beat red lights and even run counter to traffic.

“We are supposed to be public servants so why should we get special treatment?” he asked.

To give more teeth to the proposed law, Rodriguez said he incorporated penal provisions that will impose a stiff fine of P100,000 and a maximum prison term of six years to any high-ranking government official who will use the protocol plates.

He said, however, that his bill does not cover vanity plates, which are issued by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) for a fee.

Aside from Rodriguez, Congressmen Paul Daza of Northern Samar and Edno Joson of Nueva Ecija have also declined to use protocol plates and supported the move of the LTO to review, if not totally abolish, the practice.

The proposed bill, however, was not acted upon by the House leadership and has remained at the committee level.

“I really wonder why Speaker Nograles and the House leadership are reluctant to act on my bill,” Rodriguez asked.