‘Convoy breaker’ faces suspension

A 60-day suspension without pay awaits a Mandaluyong City cop whose vehicle nearly sideswiped one of the motorcycle escorts of President Arroyo on EDSA last Tuesday .

SPO4 Velasco Tarrayo, a 35-year veteran of the police force, would pay the maximum penalty once found guilty of driving under the influence of liquor, according to Superintendent Rolando Sacramento, director of the Eastern Police District (EPD).

Sacramento was directed by Metro Manila police chief Deputy Director General Reynaldo Velasco to handle Tarrayo’s case, telling him to institute criminal and administrative sanctions against the Mandaluyong cop if evidence warrants.

"Once the policeman is found guilty, he will suffer necessary sanctions for violating the rules and regulations of the Philippine National Police (PNP)," Velasco said in an interview.

Sacramento has ordered Superintendent Danilo Florentino, head of the EPD-District Investigation and Intelligence Division (DIID), to summon Tarrayo and ask him to submit a written explanation regarding the incident.

"He will be given the chance to give his side of the story so we would not be accused of railroading the case," Sacramento said.

The Star tried but failed to talk to Tarrayo yesterday.

However, in his report to Mandaluyong City police chief Senior Superintendent Sukarno Ikbala, Tarrayo said he was driving his blue Besta van in the company of two female friends when he nearly hit one of the motorcycle escorts of the President.

Tarrayo was on his way home to Quezon City when the incident took place. The President was herself on her way to their residence in La Vista, Quezon City at around 5:30 a.m. after attending the dawn Mass with First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo at the EDSA Shrine.

As the President’s BMW sedan was approaching the Ortigas flyover, Tarrayo’s van tried to get past the convoy, and, instead of stopping, nearly bumped one of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) motorcycle escorts on the side where Mrs. Arroyo was seated.

Luckily, the PSG escort was able to safely maneuver out of harm’s way of the President’s car.

Tarrayo and his two female companions were interrogated by elements of the PSG. They were released and allowed to spend Christmas Day with their families, but not after the erring cop was issued a ticket for drunken driving and traffic obstruction by elements of the Central Traffic Enforcement Group (CTEG). – Non Alquitran