Complaint filed vs. PRA exec over traffic altercation

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines - A complaint was filed against a high ranking official of the Philippine Retirement Authority – Cordillera  for allegedly hitting a  taxi driver.

The incident was allegedly witnessed by a Philippine Daily Inquirer photographer who also said he was bullied himself by the apparently drunk official.

Edgardo Espiritu, 52, a photojournalist and former board of director of the Philippine Press Photographers (PPP),  sought police investigators at the Baguio City police station 10 along Marcos Highway, alleging that  PRA officer-in-charge Frederick Pati, 38,  punched taxi driver Alexi John Oller, 36,  during a traffic altercation along SLU-SVP Old Site Village in Bakakeng, here.

Espiritu said the incident took place Saturday night  when  he was onboard  Oller's taxi cab, which was going downhill, and met along the way the white goverment-issued and heavily-tinted van , which was going uphill.

The two-way barangay road was filled with parked vehicles, Espiritu said, causing heavy traffic in the area.

Espiritu said he  alighted from the taxi to relay the taxi driver’s plea to put on low beam the van’s headlight because the taxi driver could no longer see his way. 

Irked, Pati began to flaunt that the van had a “red plate” (SHT 112), indicating that it is  government-owned.

The PRA official then got out of the van and continued shouting invectives at Espiritu and eventually said, “ano ba gusto mo?” 

Shocked, the photographer backed off from  the argument and noted the van's plate number.

“Hindi ko alam bakit ako ang minura , ” Espiritu said as he alighted from the taxicab.

Oller filed a complaint at the station 10 of the Baguio City police along Marcos Highway the next day, saying  he was grabbed from his cab and was punched.

Espiritu said he also logged in a complaint at the same police station’s blotter, and said he will also file a complaint with the Civil Service Commission against Pati.

The photographer said Pati has been trying to make amends and apologize  to him.

Pati said he was already “castigated by retired police general Edgardo Aglipay for his actions.”   He added that he has apologized to Espiritu and Oller.  - Artemio A. Dumlao