Caloocan lawmaker owner of ‘8’ plate?

A congressman from Caloocan city was tagged yesterday as the possible owner of a congressional protocol plate 8 attached to a speeding sport utility vehicle that rammed and killed a security guard and seriously wounded another shortly before dawn Sunday along North Edsa in Quezon city.

GMA television in its Unang Hirit program yesterday identified the owner of the SUV as Sharon Faye Bautista, a daughter of District 1 Caloocan Rep. Oscar Malapitan.

According to EO 400 issued by President Arroyo which regulates the use of low numbered license plates used by high government officials, the protocol plates can only be used to the vehicles duly registered to the said officials or their respective spouses. Senators and congressmen may be issued at least four sets of the special plates.

“The assignment and transfer of low numbered or protocol plates to unauthorized persons or motor vehicles by government officials entitled is strictly prohibited. Violation of this prohibition shall be sufficient cause for the revocation of the herein granted privilege and for the confiscation of the issued protocol plate, and imposition of the corresponding penalty for the violation committed as provided by law,” the EO said.

In his asset and liabilities Malapitan declared that he owned three vehicles – a Honda CRV, Nissan Cefiro and Mitsubishi Strada.

Land Transportation Office chief Alberto Suansing however declined to confirm or deny the report saying that the congressional protocol plate which was caught on the video footage of the GMA news team is missing.

“ The protocol plate was removed after the accident so we cannot really pinpoint any lawmaker as the owner of the special plate,” Suansing told The STAR.

He said since the identity of the solon was already exposed by the news report its now up to Speaker Prospero Nograles to act on the case.

The House Speaker has earlier challenged the LTO to apprehend erring members of Congress who misuse the protocol plate. Under House rules only the members of the House of Representatives can impose administrative sanction to its members.

According to dzBB in a separate report, the driver of the killer Nissan X-trail – a certain Jason Bautista, a salesman, is the husband of Sharon Faye reportedly a daughter of the congressman.

In the police report, Bautista who is now facing reckless imprudence resulting to homicide and serious physical injuries, gave his adress at 163 Paz St., Morning Breeze Subdivision, Caloocan City, just a house away from the address of Malapitan.

Report reaching the Land Transportation Office said that the traffic accident occurred on Sunday around 2 a.m. near the stretch of EDSA near Trinoma Mall.

Killed in the incident was identified by the Quezon City Traffic District as Marbert Raz, 30, security guard and residing at 42, Denver St., Cubao, Quezon City, and wounded was identified as Romy Rivera, of the same address.