WANG-WANG IN NEAR TRAFFIC MISHAP
MANILA, FEBRUARY 14, 2012 (TRIBUNE) Coloma says sorry, explains his
side on 'wang-wang' trip - Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO)
Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. has cleared the air on the controversy surrounding
the near-mishap that was caused by "wang-wang (siren)-honking convoys"
accompanying him on his way to a speaking engagement in San Mateo, Rizal
province last Friday.
Coloma yesterday denied there was a convoy of "wang-wang-honking cars" with
him while on his way to what he claimed as a speaking engagement at the
Timberland Heights mountain estate in San Mateo town.
He, however, admitted that there were two, not three motorcycle units, that
served as his guide.
"Let me put emphasis that I am not saying Mr. Nocum was wrong in his claim.
Allow me to share a few points from my perspective. First, I was not in a
convoy. I was riding in my assigned official vehicle: a black Starex van with
plate number RRH 202 as he reported. I had not brought with me any other
vehicle. Secondly, my vehicle does not have a siren or blinkers. My driver
simply used hazard lights. Third, I was not aware that sirens were used by the
two motorcycle escorts riding in front of my vehicle. I only heard them using
their horns intermittently but not continuously especially in that brief stretch
of Barangay Ampid in San Mateo which was a narrow and busy thoroughfare.
"When my vehicle passed that area in Barangay Ampid, I did not anymore hear
the use of motorcycle horns. ? I was also not aware that there was another
motorcycle rider tailing my vehicle as I was preoccupied preparing for my speech
while monitoring what was happening in front of my vehicle," Coloma told the
Tribune.
He explained that the motorcycle units, which had "OPSS," which stands for
the Office of Public Safety and Security, markings on their black shirts, were
from the San Mateo Police. He denied asking for motorcycle escorts, adding the
riders fetched him in Barangay Ampid.
"On Friday, 10 February, at around 6:30 p.m., while on my way to a speaking
engagement, I was provided by the San Mateo police with two motorcycle escorts,"
the Palace official said in a statement sent to the Tribune through email.
He added it was only Saturday afternoon that he was informed that his road
travel along Gen. Luna St. in San Mateo nearly caused mishap.
"It was only yesterday (Saturday) I learned that the motorcycle escorts
accompanying my official vehicle caused another vehicle to swerve. This incident
caused undue stress and anxiety to the occupants of the vehicle, Mr. Armand
Nocum, his wife and their infant child," Coloma added.
He added he would have politely declined the motorcycle units that were
offered to him by the local police had he known that it would unduly cause
raucous traffic.
Coloma also averred that he has also made a call to former Inquirer reporter
Armand Nocum, who was with his family at the time Coloma's vehicle and "supposed
escorts and motorcycle units" were traversing Gen. Luna St. in San Mateo.
Nocum confirmed that Coloma indeed called him to apologize.
Coloma added he has already asked the San Mateo police to require the two
policemen who served as his escorts to render an account of the incident so that
proper remedial measures may be adopted. Fernan J. Angeles
Chief News Editor: Sol
Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE
NEWS ONLINE
All rights reserved
PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS
ONLINE [PHNO] WEBSITE
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/phnotweet
This is the PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE (PHNO) Mailing List.
To stop receiving our news items, please send a blank e-mail addressed to: phno-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
Please visit our homepage at: http://www.newsflash.org/
(c) Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
-------------------------------------------------------------Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/phno/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/phno/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
phno-digest@yahoogroups.com
phno-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
phno-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
