MANILA (UPDATED) — Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said he doesn't have an SUV like the one caught on video using the EDSA Busway and that the Department of Transportation said tried to run over a traffic enforcer on Sunday night.

"Ako wala ako. Wala ako. I have, wala akong ganiyan na sasakyan," Gatchalian told reporters who sought his comment on the sidelines of the Senate's plenary session on Monday over speculation in some social media posts that his father, businessman William Gatchalian, was in the white Cadillac SUV with a '7' protocol plate.

(No, I don't have one. I don't have one. I have — I don't have that kind of vehicle)

Senate President Francis Escudero also wants the Land Transportation Office to verify the identity of the owner and user of the vehicle and whether the protocol plate is authentic.

The use of the '7' plates is limited to senators.

"Hiniling ko na sa LTO na alamin kung sino nga ba ang pinagkakakilalanlan ng may-ari at gumamit nitong kotseng ito. Pati na rin yung plaka para malaman kung ito nga ba'y issued sa isang miyembro ng Senado," Escudero told reporters on Monday.

(I have asked the LTO to find out the identitiesof the owner and the driver of the vehicle and also to see if the plate was issued to a member of the Senate)

Escudero said those behind the incident must be accountable.

"Actually, maliit na infraction lang naman 'yun. Kailangan lang nila i-presenta yung sarili nila magbayad ng fine at kung may paglabag doon sa paggamit ng protocol plate ay i-surrender yung protocol plate," Escudero said.

(Actually, that's just a small infraction. They just have to show up and pay a fine and if there was a violation in the use of a protocol plate, then they should surrender the plate)

Escudero in April apologized after a "driver of a family member" used the EDSA Busway and sped away when flagged down by traffic enforcers.

He also turned over the protocol plate to the LTO after directing his relative's driver to appear before the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority to face the charges over the incident.

Escudero said he has not asked his fellow senators about the incident yet and will wait for the LTO authenticates the plate and sends more information.

'NO RULE ON WHO CAN USE VEHICLES WITH PROTOCOL PLATES'

Escudero said protocol plates must be issued to specific vehicles. There is however no provision on who is the passenger or who are riding the vehicle.

"Ang nakalagay doon sa memorandum circular dapat ito'y iissue sa specific na kotse hindi sinabi kung sino yung nakasakay palagi. Wala namang ganoong probisyon," Escudero said. 

(What is said in the memorandum circular is that it should be issued to a specific vehicle. It doesn't limit who uses the vehicle. There is no provision that says that.)

Escudero said the LTO would have records of the the holders of the protocol plates because that is only issued upon request.

"'Yan ay nire-request so LTO ang nakakaalam kung sinoman ang nag-request. Ang LTO nagre-request ng [Certificate of Registration] bago nila isyuhan ng plaka, so yung '7' nakadikit yan sa partikular na kotse," Escudero said.

(That is available by request from the LTO, so the LTO will know who made the request. The LTO requests a copy of the registration before it issues a plate, so the '7' is installed on a specific vehicle)

Aside from registration documents, Department of Transportation Joint Administrative Order No. 2024-001 also includes a formal request letter endorsed by the "head of the department/branch of government" and proof that the vehicle has been assigned to the official requesting the protocol plate, if not registered in their name.

Escudero said each senator can request a protocol plate for one vehicle, but there is no requirement for the senator to own the vehicle.

"Hindi basta yung ni-request niya, 'yun 'yung binanggit na kotse. Dahil yung iba nakapangalan sa korporasyon. Iba-iba 'yun," he said, adding there is no requirement for the senator to be aboard the vehicle.

(It doesn't have to be in their name because sometimes the vehicle is registered to a corporation)