MMDA official suspended over EDSA bus lane fiasco

MANILA, Philippines: Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Task Force Special Operations Chief Edison «Bong» Nebrija was suspended starting Thursday to ensure a fair investigation into reports in which he alleged that one of the vehicles that were apprehended along the EDSA Carousel Bus Lane belonged to Sen. Ramon «Bong» Revilla Jr.

MMDA Chairman Romando Artes announced this during a press conference at the Senate with Revilla and Nebrija present on Wednesday.

Revilla said he accepted Nebrija's apology and will no longer seek the recall of the approval of MMDA's budget in the Senate.

Earlier on Wednesday, Revilla said he would want the proposed budget of the MMDA recalled, as he asked the officials of the agency to return to the Senate and explain why his name was mentioned as one of those who allegedly violated the EDSA carousel lane regulation.

«It is painful for me to hear reports that I was allegedly apprehended by an MMDA enforcer for unauthorized use of the EDSA bus lane,» Revilla told Senate reporters earlier in the day as he denied such allegations.

«There is absolutely no truth to the malicious report that I was apprehended using the EDSA carousel busway.

»My daily commute is from the south to the Senate and there is no possibility I will be on EDSA in Mandaluyong. When attending official functions in the north, I take the skyway from and back to the south," the Senator emphasized.

Nebrija was quoted in the media as being the source of the reports.

«I want to see the enforcer, and Nebrija in the Senate. I want them to explain why they have to resort to this kind of malicious smear campaign against me,» Revilla said.

For his part, Nebrija said he relied on the word of one of the enforcers that it was the senator who was in one of the private vehicles that passed through the exclusive EDSA bus lane Wednesday morning.

«I made the decision to let him go,'' the MMDA official was quoted as saying.

Under the MMDA's Regulation No. 23-002, which was approved by the Metro Manila Council, the increased fines for both public and private vehicles are: 1st Offense – P5,000; 2nd Offense – P10,000 plus one-month suspension of driver's license, and will undergo a