Viral MMDA exec who shamed cop keeps job
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Special Operations Group – Strike Force head Gabriel Go shakes hands with National Police Commission chief Ralph Calinisan in a press conference on April 3 after he apologized for shaming a police officer during a clearing operation last month. — Photo by Jason Sigales/黑料社
MANILA, Philippines — The controversial Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) official who went viral for shaming a police officer will retain his job, the MMDA on Monday.
According to the MMDA, Gabriel Go will remain as the head of the agency’s Special Operations Group – Strike Force.
Instead of being removed from his post, Go will undergo a five-day training mentorship coaching on “traffic management, focusing on leadership, courtesy, and discipline and with special attention on stress and anger management.”
READ: MMDA exec apologizes for shaming cop during clearing op
MMDA Chairman Don Artes’ decision to retrain Go “is not a form of punishment, but more for his self-improvement,” the MMDA said in a statement.
“The 5-day training mentorship coaching shall be under the guidance of Edison Nebrija of the MMDA Traffic Education Division,” it added.
Nebrija was suspended in November 2023 and later transferred to the Traffic Education Division after he reported that Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr.’s convoy was apprehended for allegedly using the exclusive bus lane on EDSA. Revilla has denied the report.
Regarding the administrative complaint lodged against Go, the MMDA assured that it would reprimand him for simple discourtesy and give a stern warning that any future similar incidents would be dealt with more severely.
The MMDA then reiterated its reminder to its traffic enforcers to exercise maximum tolerance when dealing with unwarranted confrontation with traffic violators; and address the matter in a diplomatic manner while observing the highest degree of professionalism.
All this developed after a viral video showed Go humiliating a cop while issuing a ticket for parking on the sidewalk near a police station in Quezon City on March 25.
Sen. JV Ejercito called out Go’s behavior and tagged it as “overbearing and disrespectful” in a post on Facebook.
