The United States Embassy in Manila reminded its staff on Friday to comply with Philippine laws following an incident involving one of its personnel in a heated exchange with a traffic enforcer over the use of the EDSA busway.
In an official statement, the embassy acknowledged the reported traffic incident involving a member of its community. It emphasized that all staff obey Philippine laws, including traffic regulations.
The issue arose when an SUV bearing diplomatic plates from the US Embassy was stopped on Ortigas Avenue around 8:12 a.m. for unauthorized use of the EDSA busway. The Department of Transportation-Special Action and Intelligence Committee for Transportation attempted to issue a citation after the driver failed to present a valid license, providing only his passport instead.
The situation escalated when another American passenger objected to the enforcer taking a photo of the passport, arguing that it was illegal and demanding that the image be deleted. He further insisted that the officer speak with a high-ranking police official to resolve the matter before it was brought to the embassy’s attention.
Authorities clarified that recording basic information from the passport was necessary to process the violation ticket. The DOTr-SAICT maintained that its enforcers conducted themselves professionally and followed standard protocols during the incident.
Despite the confrontation, the driver was ultimately issued a Temporary Operator’s Permit.
