GMA’s car ‘dead on arrival’ at St. Luke’s Hospital

It may be bomb- and bullet-proof, but the presidential Mercedes Benz finally gave in to years of wear and tear yesterday.

The black Mercedes Benz SEL conked out after bringing President Arroyo from the University of the Philippines in Diliman to St. Luke’s Hospital on E. Rodri-guez Avenue, both in Quezon City.

The engine of the presidential car went dead on arrival at the hospital.

The vehicle may be among the custom-made cars donated by the German government during the Aquino administration.

The presidential driver could only scratch his head when he couldn’t get the engine back to running again.

Mrs. Arroyo, who was visiting a close friend who was confined in the hospital — Pepita Aquino, widow of former Public Works Minister Baltazar Aquino — transferred to a back-up Mitsubishi Pajero van.

Presidential Spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao admitted yesterday the Benz has been in disrepair and was in fact undergoing maintenance checks since Saturday.

The rundown but classic Benz is just one of the presidential vehicles at the Malacañang motorpool.

It can be recalled that a similar car, if not the same one, also stalled in floods in Makati with former President Corazon Aquino in it.

Mrs. Arroyo on Day 1 of her administration had ordered the auction of all luxury vehicles distributed to former Estrada Cabinet members which have been kept at the Palace motorpool as part of measures to raise income of the deficit-plagued government.