House of Representatives Secretary General Reginald Velasco (Photo from econgress.gov.ph)
MANILA, Philippines —House of Representatives Secretary General Reginald Velasco said on Friday the No. 8 car plate in one of the vehicles involved in a recent viral road rage video may have been faked.
Velasco added that it could be a mere copy of the special protocol plates issued to members of the House of Representatives.
In a statement, he said that the House condemns the misuse of the special plates, noting that the plate used by the motorist did not have the security features that the House places.
“The House of Representatives strongly condemns the misuse of the special protocol plate number ‘8’ by the owner or driver of a vehicle recently involved in a traffic altercation, as seen in a viral video circulating online,” he said.
Original `8′ protocol plate
“From watching the viral video, it would seem that the protocol plate is fake. It does not seem to have the security features of an original ‘8’ protocol plate. Our law enforcement agencies can easily identify fake plates and confiscate them,” he added.
Videos on social media showed a person driving a Mitsubishi Montero with an `8′ plate getting out of his vehicle to confront another driver on a Honda CR-V. The Montero driver threatened to shoot the person inside the CR-V before driving away.
This marks the third road-rage incident in recent weeks. Two incidents had earlier transpired in Antipolo City, including one where a motorcycle rider was shot dead.
READ: One of Antipolo road rage victims now dead – police
Velasco, meanwhile, urged authorities to probe the incident because using fake special plates is illegal, and erodes public trust on government officials.
“We urge the appropriate authorities to immediately investigate and hold accountable the individual in the video. Using a fake special plate number, if that is indeed the case, is illegal and constitutes a punishable offense under existing laws. It is a serious matter that undermines the integrity of official markings and erodes public trust,” he said.
READ: House, MMDA agree: Vehicles with ‘8’ plates to be apprehended
“The special protocol plate ‘8’ is issued exclusively for official use by sitting members of the House of Representatives. Any attempt to impersonate or abuse this privilege is a direct affront to the institution and the law,” he added.
Full force of the law
Similarly, Velasco called on the public to be vigilant and report similar incidents.
“The House is fully committed to cooperating with law enforcement agencies to ensure that those who misuse government-issued protocol plates face the full force of the law,” he noted.
Last April 2024, Velasco already reminded lawmakers that the House has not issued any special ‘8’ plates, noting that the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is mandated to confiscate these.
READ: House SecGen: No authorized special plates for solons
Then in November 2023, Velasco said they had entered into an agreement with MMDA about apprehending drivers using vehicles with the special ‘8’ plates. The deal was made after reports came out that some individuals have been using old ‘8’ numbers or replicas just to evade law enforcement.
The number eight, under the Philippines’ special plate system, is traditionally given to members of the House.