House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Wednesday ordered the immediate recall of all protocol plates issued during the 16th Congress and earlier.
House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr. relayed the order of Arroyo during the plenary session where he urged his colleagues to “kindly return these car plates to the Office of the Secretary-General for proper acknowledgement” as vehicles with protocol plate 8 were spotted in “indecent places or figured in crime-related activities.”
“We woud like to reiterate the memorandum issued by the secretary-general for all members of the House regarding the recall of protocol plate number 8, and I would like to read on record and reiterate to the members: We have received reports that certain vehicles with protocol plate number 8 have been spotted in indecent places or figured in crime-related activities,” Andaya said.
“In view of this development, the honorable Speaker has given instructions for the immediate recall of all protocol plates issued during the 16th congress and earlier,” he said.
The present 17th Congress did not issue any protocol plate 8.
This developed as deputy Minority Leader and AKO-Bicol party-list Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr. said the owner of the protocol plate 8 should come out after police authorities arrested a band member Jojo Valerio in Tarlac City as the man who was allegedly caught in the viral video attacking the driver of a red sedan identified as Jesusito Palma, a 26-year old nurse.
“He or she should just come out in the open. So that, aside from his or her criminal liability, ma-attribute din ’yun fault ng pamimigay ng plaka doon sa miyembro ng Kongreso,” Garbin told a news conference.
Reports said Valerio refused to identify the owner of the Toyota FJ Cruiser with the protocol plate issued during the previous 16th Congress.
While admitting that the use of the protocol plate has been abused, Garbin said he was opposed to scrapping it.
“Maybe the use and issuance of protocol plates should just be regulated,” he said.
