By: Aliahcorr Balanon
File photo of EDSA Traffic: The STAR/Boy Santos
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rommel Marbil rejected the idea of unauthorized use of the EDSA busway for an ‘emergency meeting’ to Camp Crame by a PNP convoy.
The controversy arose when the Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) Special Action and Intelligence Committee for Transportation (SAICT) stopped a convoy on the Ortigas section of the busway going northbound.
In a radio interview, Marbil did not answer whether he was inside of the convoy. However, he explained that there was an urgent meeting at the camp that required the presence of a high-ranking PNP Official.
The meeting addressed the case about the Chinese national kidnapped and was able to be rescued on Feb. 25, Tuesday night.
“There was an emergency and an issue that we had to resolve yesterday… We needed the presence of our police higher-ups because we had a closed-door meeting because something happened during the operation last night,” he said.
While it was stated that the DOTr was just “doing their job” and was ticketed for using an exclusive lane, PNP spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo, said that opening the EDSA busway is actually allowed for police vehicles during emergency situations.
“There is a provision in the guidelines that when PNP officers are in an urgent situation and [an] emergency, they can use the Edsa busway,” Fajardo said.
However, Malacañang made it clear on Feb. 25 that emergency meetings are not counted to open the EDSA busway.
“Kapag po kasi sinabi natin na miyembro ng PNP, ambulansya, fire truck – hindi po kasama doon iyong emergency meeting. Kung may emergency meeting, mas maganda po umalis sila nang maaga sa kanilang bahay,” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said in a press briefing.
Castro said that even EDSA busway can be used during verified emergencies, requiring government vehicles to prove the situations to avoid penalties.
Castro also mentioned that they should not abuse the right given to them just because they used the word ‘emergency’.
As per the Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla, he made clear that he asked Marbil for an urgent meeting but he did not instruct them to break the traffic rules.
The list of exempted vehicles are ambulances on duty, fire trucks, service vehicles used for busway-related operations, and the convoys of the President, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker, and Chief Justice.