Online users called on a lawmaker to investigate the incident he posted on Twitter about a convoy of luxury vehicles using sirens and blinker lights along the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX).
Sen. JV Ejercito on Thursday shared a clip of a BMW, Rolls Royce Culinan and a Mercedes vehicle driving past other cars in daylight.
“Tell if this is not abuse. BMW GS1250 as escort, Rolls Royce Culinan, and a Mercedes G63 for a back up! Itigil na ito!” he tweeted.
Reports note that the video was sent to him by a “friend.”
Tell if this is not abuse.
BMW GS1250 as escort, Rolls Royce Culinan, and a Mercedes G63 for a back up!
Itigil na ito! pic.twitter.com/5k4HpWBZzl
— JV Ejercito (@jvejercito) July 7, 2022
Ejercito said that heavy traffic cannot justify the use of sirens and escorts along busy thoroughfares.
“Lahat naman tayo nagmamadali. Ako rin ay nagmamadali minsan. Pero time management lang ‘yan. You have to live with it. Kinakailangan lang na tansyahin mo ang oras mo,” he was quoted on a report.
“What gives you the privilege na kailangan may pambully ka sa kalye para mauna ka, na nagwawang-wang ka? Sa akin, hindi acceptable ‘yan,” the senator added.
He previously aired his online frustrations about people using sirens and blinkers last Monday, when he tweeted that “wang-wang” used to be prohibited under late former president Noynoy Aquino‘s term.
Ejercito added that he hoped President Ferdinand Marcos Jr would prohibit the use of escorts, sirens and blinkers to those who are not authorized to use them.
Meanwhile, his post caught the attention of reelected Sen. Win Gatchalian who responded in the thread.
“The Wang Wang days are back! The PNP (Philippine National Police) should crackdown on this. Huwag sila matakot kahit na Bentley ang sasakyan. ‘Pag hindi presidente o VP, ‘yan hulihin nila,” he tweeted.
“Dami abusado sa kalye Bro!” Ejercito wrote in response.
Other Filipinos who saw the video suggested that the senators should launch an investigation following the incident.
Ejercito is reported to chair the Senate Committee on Local Government and the Committee on Urban Planning, Housing and Development.
“This would be relevant for the blue ribbon committee to investigate, and it’s also related to Senate committees related to urban planning and peace and order, ” Robert Anthony Siy, chief transport planner of Pasig City, said.
“Hope to see a Senate investigation into this unacceptable practice soon,” he added.
The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee is also known as the Senate Committee on Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations.
It is tasked to probe alleged wrongdoings of the government, its officials and attached agencies in aid of legislation.
Sen. Francis Tolentino will head the particular committee for the 19th Congress which is set to open on July 25.
Meanwhile, writer Mina Esguerra also said that the case of the “wang-wang” tweet is “interesting because this is usually indicative of ‘abuses’ beyond expensive cars.”
“Something a senator really could investigate or write laws about!” she wrote in response to Ejercito’ post.
“Saklaw naman po ng kapangyarihan ng senado ang magpatawag ng committee hearing in-aide of legislation na puwede niyo naman po gawin para talakayin ang wang-wang issue,” another Twitter user wrote.
Reports said that Philippine National Police officer-in-charge Lt. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr has ordered the crackdown against “wang-wangs.”
Presidential Decree 96 prohibits the use of “siren, bell, horn, whistle, or other similar gadgets that produce exceptionally loud or startling sound, including domelights, blinkers and other similar signalling or flashing devices.”
It said these could only be used by Armed Forces of the Philippines, National Bureau of Investigation, Land Transportation Commission, police and fire departments and hospital ambulances.
In relation to the issue, PNP’s Highway Patrol Group has already arrested seven motorists for using blinkers and sirens in Metro Manila on Thursday.
Their blinkers were confiscated and they were issued traffic citation tickets.
