Driver of fake senator plate SUV surrenders, apologizes

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) identified Angelito Edpan as the driver of an SUV with a fake protocol plate number for senators that illegally used the EDSA Busway on Sunday, November 3.

Edpan surrendered to the LTO on Wednesday, November 6, and apologized during a press conference for his traffic violation, admitting he entered the bus lane due to stomach pain but denied knowing how the fake protocol plate was obtained.

Omar Guinomla, director of Orient Pacific Corporation (OPC), which owns the vehicle used by Edpan, also apologized during the press conference and stated that an internal investigation is ongoing into how they obtained the fake plate.

The LTO confiscated Edpan's driver’s license and issued a traffic violation ticket for illegal use of protocol plates and disregarding traffic signs, while it would issue a show cause order against OPC to investigate additional violations.

According to SEC records, Orient Pacific Corporation, which owns the vehicle, is registered under Kenneth T. Gatchalian, brother of Senator Sherwin Gatchalian.

The LTO said Thursday that they were still investigating who fabricated the number '7' protocol plate spotted on Edpan's SUV and noted that it lacked security features typical of legitimate plates.