Rumble in Monumento: MMDA vs Palace workers

A minor traffic incident deteriorated into a free-for-all among three Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) enforcers and three Malacañang employees last Monday night on EDSA near the Bonifacio Shrine in Monumento, Caloocan City.

Antonio Laguna, 40, supervisor; Julian Bigayan, 22, and Romeo Cortez, 21, all of the MMDA Sidewalk Clearing Operations Group (SCOG) accused Malacañang employees Maximo Julian, 31, shuttle bus driver; Ramon Dizon, 45, stay-in mechanic at the Malacañang motor pool and Emmanuel de Leon, 54, of beating them up.

The men from the Office of the President threatened to file counter-charges of physical injuries.

The protagonists all sustained bruises and contusions in varying degrees after the brief rumble, which was broken up only when a responding mobile patrol unit intervened at around 6:30 p.m.

SPO4 Antonio Paras, officer-on-case, said what could have been a "no fuss" incident degenerated into the highway rumble because of hot heads.

The men from Malacañang, on board a bus, were traveling northbound along EDSA at a fast clip when Laguna signaled to stop the bus while his two companions were apprehending sidewalk vendors with pushcarts, they near the Bonifacio Monument.

The bus driver stepped on the brakes and nearly hit a pushcart.

Julian and Dizon allegedly alighted from the bus to inspect the damage to the vehicle.

Finding none, they boarded their bus again.

Somebody was then heard to have shouted expletives, leading to a heated altercation among the men.

A free-for-all soon ensued in the middle of the highway, blocking traffic in the process. — Jerry Botial