Unusual

And the plot thickens. What appeared to be a usual case of road bullying — a conscientious and meek traffic enforcer being roughed up by a wealthy and arrogant car owner not getting his way is turning out to be more complicated than what it originally seemed.  

The case seems made for the movies. A six-year MMDA aide accosts a businessman driving a blue Maserati Ghibli (I am told that the starting price of this model is P6 million.) for not following traffic rules. Irate driver goes down the car, argues with the official and punches him in the nose.  A video taken by a fellow traffic aide shows the driver holding the MMDA enforcer by the shirt and dragging him along the road. The video goes viral in the internet prompting an immediate manhunt for the businessman. A P100,000 reward is put up for any information that would lead to the latter’s whereabouts.  Since there are only two of these cars existing in the Philippines, it was not difficult to trace him. Netizens villified him as a “road bully,” “spoiled rogue” and “mad mauler.” MMDA traffic aide “victim” comes out on national television with a hush puppy look and a broken nose. So bully businessman is handed an instant conviction in the court of social media opinion.

Out comes several persons who were not eye witnesses to this particular event but who supposedly had earlier dealings with the controversial traffic aide.  Law student Grace claims that she sought his assistance during a road collision which occurred during the first week of November in Quezon City.  Instead of helping her, aide allegedly cursed her for being impatient and spat on the ground near her. Aide supposedly video taped Grace’s hysterics and tantrums. The MMDA has since challenged Grace to file an administrative complaint against their traffic aide.  

Similarly, an advertising executive who identified himself as Jerry said that he had also been harassed by the same traffic aide for allegedly pointing a dirty finger at him. “One hundred percent ang kayabangan niya. Parang aso. Dapat di ganoon ang asal niya. Magaspang. Minumura ako niyan,” Jerry said.  For her part, a vendor identified only as Flordeliza related that she regularly sees traffic aide angry. “Parati siyang galit,” she claims. As to whether these testimonies coming out were truly spontaneous or cleverly orchestrated remains to be seen.  

Section 34 of Rule 130 of the Rules of Court provides that “evidence that one did or did not do a certain thing at one time is NOT ADMISSIBLE to prove that he did or did not do the same or similar thing at another time.” True. But remember that this evidentiary rule only applies to cases being tried in a court of law. On the other hand, experience and common sense dictate that a person’s past actions have a bearing on his future behavior.

But common sense also teaches us that someone who owns a Maserati together with 42 other cars should be included in the list of top 100 richest Filipinos and/or taxpayers. If not, then query where did all the money to buy these vehicles come from?

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Typhoon the heavens: As you read this column, typhoon Ruby would have descended upon us. Let’s hope that this powerful howler will not live up to its international name of “Hagupit.” But then again, my parents would recount to us their experience during the 7.1 magnitude earthquake in 1968 that led to the collapse of the six-storey Ruby Tower in Binondo, Manila. So the name “Ruby” brings back bad memories to some of the older generation. Oh well, let’s prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Speaking of the latter, the Archdiocese of Manila led by Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle has requested the Catholic faithful to recite the Oratio Imperata (Obligatory prayer) for Deliverance from Calamities during Masses (post-communion) and other church liturgy. Indeed this is a time to storm, nay typhoon, the heavens with prayers.

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Wishful thinking: I would like to think that the launch of a “Justice Zone’ in Quezon City was in reaction to our column’s lament against judicial delay last week.  It was not.  It was purely coincidental.  Initiated by the Justice Sector Coordinating Council (JSCC) which is composed of the Supreme Court, the Department of Justice and the Department of Interior and Local Government with support from the European Union-Philippine Justice Support Program, the Justice Zone project is envisioned to synergize efforts towards the delivery of effective and efficient justice without compromising the independence of the institutions concerned.  Reforms include an e-Court system (with an e-Subpoena feature) which allows the various players in the dispensation of justice (e.g., judges, prosecutors and lawyers) to better coordinate their schedules. When the program is fully operational, it is expected to expedite by 50% the period within which decisions are made in judicial proceedings. I am unsure if the choice of Quezon City as the pilot zone is coincidental given that the Maguindanao massacre trial is being conducted there.  I guess this would be the litmus test as to whether the reforms really work.  

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Greetings: Congratulations to PPCRV chairperson and Mother Butler Guild president, Ambassador Henrietta T. De Villa, on her conferment by the Colegio de San Juan de Letran Calamba, of a Doctor of Humanities degree, honoris causa. This is her third honorary degree following the receipt of similar accolades from Adamson University in 1997 and Taiwan’s Providence University in 2001.  

Birth anniversary best wishes to media and property magnate and UCPB chairman Meynardo “Manong Nards” Jimenez. Kind greetings as well and welcome to the golden club to Filipino-Canadian lawyer Cristina Culp.

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“If we would guide by the light of reason,

we must let our minds be bold.”

— Louis D. Brandeis

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Email: [email protected]