The infamous couple who figured in a heated confrontation against members of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has apologized to the agency yesterday. However, the MMDA said they will still pursue their complaint against the woman, who was caught for illegal parking.
The video posted on ABS-CBN’s Facebook account yesterday shows the couple at the MMDA’s office with both of their faces blurred.
Reading a prepared statement, the woman said: “I, together with my husband figured in an altercation with officers of the Metro Manila Development Authority. Unfortunately, heated arguments and commotion happened amongst us. We would like to take this opportunity to apologize to the MMDA enforcers especially to Col. Bong Nebrija and Constable [Larry] Azures. We ask for your understanding in the matter as well as emotions got the best of us.”
Nebrija is the head of the MMDA’s Special Operations Group while Azures is the traffic enforcer whom the woman berated during the altercation.
READ: MMDA lodges formal complaint vs woman involved in viral video confrontation over illegal parking
Meanwhile, her husband said: “We would like to thank the MMDA leadership as headed by chairman Danilo Lim and general manager Jojo Garcia for giving us the chance, this chance, to make this apology. And in recognizing the consequences of our actions.”
The heated incident occurred on Tuesday between Mayon and N. Roxas Streets in Quezon City, as reported by the Manila Times.
In the video, the woman is seen repeatedly refusing to show her license after she was caught illegally parking, insisting that she was in her car within five minutes after she was informed of her violation. In a raised voice, she asked: “What is your rule prior to towing?”
Off cam, one of the MMDA’s men asked in Filipino, “Did she hit you?”
The woman, whose face was also blurred in the video, then said: “How could I not hit him when he stopped my car from leaving?”
In the video, one of the MMDA’s staff can be heard telling Nebrija in Filipino: “Sir, she hit me.”
To which the woman answered, “So are you going to cry?”
The husband later arrived at the scene and told the MMDA officers that his wife is pregnant and was bleeding. He accused the MMDA team of stressing his wife and tells them that if his wife miscarries, he will hold the MMDA officers liable for it.
According to The Philippine Daily Inquirer, in spite of the couple’s apology, the MMDA would still pursue their complaint against the woman, who turned out to be a public prosecutor.
Nebrija was quoted by radio station DZBB that the couple personally apologized to him, but the MMDA will still file charges of direct assault at the woman.
Nebrija: Tuloy ang kaso, direct assault.
— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) August 15, 2018
Majority of netizens are far from forgiving the couple. Commenting on ABS-CBN’s video, one named Aily Cast said: “Why are their faces blurred? They are law violators just like the others, but all of them [their faces] are not blurred, only them. That is not fair at all.”
Aileen Tamondong encouraged the MMDA to pursue their case.
Kelvin Balonos wrote: “Even if they are prosecutors, they should still face the same consequence[s] like other ordinary violators.”
However, one Grace Galedo defended the woman from her critics. She said that the enforcers should have helped the prosecutor because she was pregnant.
