EDITORIAL — Behaving like kings

There are prohibitions on the use of sirens or wang-wang, blinkers and similar devices, except by authorized security and emergency personnel using clearly marked vehicles of their government agencies.

But the wang-wang culture of VIP entitlements seems entrenched and tough to eradicate.

This was highlighted in a recent encounter between a convoy reportedly of Bulacan Gov. Daniel Fernando and a private sport utility vehicle at the North Luzon Expressway on the night of Feb. 21.

The governor usually travels in a four-vehicle convoy registered to the provincial government, three of which are used by his civilian security aides. This is according to Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, who said Fernando was behaving like a king in his realm.

Accounts based on video footage showed the convoy spread out to occupy four lanes of the NLEX. A Toyota Land Cruiser dared to overtake the convoy and was pursued and pulled over by the bodyguards in the convoy, who reportedly drew their guns and pointed these at the passengers of the sport utility vehicle.

What was the offense of those in the SUV? Only entitled VIPs will know. Things could have turned out badly for those in the SUV, but fortunately for them, they had their identification cards, one of which bore the surname “Marcos.”

It turned out that the youngest son of President Marcos, software engineer William Vincent or Vinny, was traveling with a companion at the wheel, with his escorts from the Presidential Security Command several minutes behind the SUV reportedly upon his wish.

The incident prompted Vinny’s congressman brother Sandro to file a bill proposing that harm arising from road rage cases be classified as a distinct criminal offense.

All over the country, there’s a proliferation of officials who behave like kings. What’s needed is the eradication of the twisted sense of entitlement of public officials, which makes them believe – among others – that they have the right to hog all lanes of an expressway, and woe to whoever dares to overtake the VIP convoy.

More than a law that might not be properly enforced, this disease of entitlement is best cured by the rejection of abusive politicians at the polls.