SUV with ‘7’ plate linked to Gatchalians

MANILA, Philippines —  The luxury vehicle bearing the Senate protocol plate “7” that was flagged down along the EDSA bus lane is a vehicle registered with the Gatchalians, according to the Land Transportation Office (LTO).

The agency’s records show that the white Cadillac Escalade is owned by Orient Pacific Corp., which is being managed by Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian’s father, William, and his brother Kenneth.

However, the LTO did not disclose the individual owner of the sport utility vehicle.

Two Orient Pacific firms appear in the Securities and Exchange Commission records and both are owned by William, the so-called plastics king.

The company’s director, Omar Guinomla, also said that the vehicle is registered under the corporation.

The vehicle’s driver Angelo Edpan and Guinomla surrendered to the LTO yesterday and apologized to the agency.

The LTO has already issued a traffic violation ticket to Edpan. His driver’s license has also been confiscated.

LTO chief Vigor Mendoza said they will issue a show cause order to further investigate possible administrative liabilities against the owner and the driver.

“I want to assure the Filipino people that appropriate sanctions will be meted out to those who violate the law, regardless of who is the violator. The law is the law,” he said.

On the company’s part, Guinomla said they will be investigating why a fake protocol plate was used by their company vehicle.

Meanwhile, Sen. Raffy Tulfo vowed to investigate the illegal use of the Senate protocol plate on the luxury vehicle which was allegedly ferrying Sherwin’s father.

Tulfo said he, as Senate public services committee chairman, wanted to investigate the unauthorized use of the protocol plate, which the LTO initially ruled out as fake.

“To the passenger: if I were you, just admit your fault, surrender your driver and apologize to the public. Because what is happening is all of the 24 senators are getting the blame even though we are not involved,” Tulfo said at a press briefing in the Senate yesterday.

When asked if the luxury vehicle flagged down Sunday night for illegally entering the EDSA bus lane was carrying a senator, Tulfo confirmed that the Cadillac was instead carrying a senator’s relative who had arrived from Japan.

The senator’s relative was on his way to a casino in Quezon City when the Cadillac was flagged by the Department of Transportation’s Special Action and Intelligence Committee for Transportation for using the EDSA northbound bus lane near Guadalupe MRT station.

“My intelligence source tells me they are on their way to Solaire North, Quezon City. The security is (said to be) a former Armed Forces of the Philippines member. We will coordinate with the AFP to identify the VIP,” Tulfo said.

Pressed to confirm the identity of the senator’s kin, Tulfo said the vehicle was carrying a relative of his colleague, Sherwin.

The vehicle’s passenger was seen on surveillance camera rolling down the window to record a video with his phone of the apprehending traffic enforcers.

Netizens allege that the passenger was William, as they noted the uncanny resemblance of the top half of the passenger’s face to him.

Sherwin’s name was dragged in the controversy after netizens dug up a news story that his father is allegedly using the Senate protocol plate to ply the EDSA bus lane as early as 2023.

However, Tulfo stopped short of confirming if it was indeed William, citing data privacy.

“I was dared by netizens on my Facebook page to name the passenger. I promise not to spare anyone,” he said.

The senator’s father has denied that he was the passenger of the flagged luxury vehicle.

“This is not accurate, pure tsismis. The owner and driver asked for apologies already and paid the fine to the rightful government agency, the LTO,” William said in a text message to The STAR.

Sherwin on Monday told reporters he does not own a white Cadillac Escalade vehicle. –  Romina Cabrera