MMDA exec suspended over EDSA bus lane fiasco

METROPOLITAN Manila Development Chairman Romando Artes suspended Edison “Bong” Nebrida, the agency’s special operations chief, over his announcement that one of the vehicles that violated the EDSA exclusive bus lane yesterday belonged to Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr.

Revilla cried foul over Nebrija’s allegation that his vehicle was allowed to pass through the bus lane because he was onboard, adding he does not pass through EDSA going to the Senate in Pasay City from his home in Cavite.

Later yesterday, Artes and Nebrija went to the Senate and apologized to Revilla.

“We will use this incident as a learning experience,” Artes said.

In reply, Revilla said, “Apologies accepted” and shook the hands of both officials.

Before the handshake and apologies, Revilla threatened to ask the Senate leadership to recall the MMDA’s budget for 2024 and to summon Nebrija to the Senate to explain the incident. Revilla later said he will no longer seek the recall of the MMDA budget.

Nebrija said he based his report on the information provided to him by a traffic enforcer, adding he has directed the latter to submit a spot report on the incident. He said he was not in the area when a convoy was stopped by MMDA traffic enforcers.

“If I am going to be suspended by the Chairman, so be it. I accept my responsibility, my mistake, and as a head of the unit, the buck stops with me,” Nebrija said.

Artes himself announced Nebrija’s suspension hours after Revilla angrily denied the report.
“Col. Nebrija (is preventively suspended) pending (an) investigation into the incident,” Artes said, adding the suspension is “effective starting tomorrow (Thursday).”

Artes said he had ordered an investigation and why Revilla’s name was implicated in the incident.

He also apologized to Revilla, saying: “We admit our mistake, that is why we extended our apology to Sen. Bong and also to clear his name of the mistaken accusation that he was inside and it was his vehicle that figured in the incident.”

Artes added the MMDA will review its protocol on the apprehension of motorists violating the bus lane, saying the identities of the erring motorists should not be made public,
He said it is enough that a violator