Acting Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Giovanni Lopez said on Friday that DOTr Usec. Ricky Alfonso relieved his driver involved in a viral road incident with a 23-year-old multicab driver.
Earlier, a video showing Alfonso’s driver and bodyguard, riding in an SUV, having a heated argument with a multicab driver during a road rage incident went viral. The word ‘VIP’ (very important person) was also heard in the middle of the argument. The multicab driver said he was physically assaulted by the driver of the SUV.
Alfonso was also seen in the video discussing with traffic enforcers.
In a press conference on Friday, Lopez said that as he received the report and confirmed that it was Alfonso who got involved in the incident, he immediately issued a notice to explain to the undersecretary on Thursday. ‘But in our conversation last night, he also said that he had already fired his driver and apologized,’ Lopez added in Filipino.
The acting DOTr chief pointed out that Alfonso went out of the SUV car ‘to pacify the incident.’ ‘He mediated. But the beauty of it is without us and without the department calling the attention of Usec. Ricky Alfonso, he relieved his driver, who was involved in the incident,’ he further said.
Lopez said he had already directed the legal department of the agency to provide assistance to the victim of Alfonso’s driver.
Meanwhile, a police blotter report signed by Police Lieutenant Leonie Ann dela Cruz showed that the SUV, a Lexus LX570 with a Protocol Plate No. 10, involved in the incident that happened on Wednesday, is not registered under the name of Alfonso but to a company based in Makati City.
The police station said they will contact the company ‘in order to collate additional details relevant to the vehicle used by the suspects that will shed light on the ongoing investigation.’