The sense of entitlement is real—and disgusting. Ours is a culture severely cleaved by consciousness of class—recall how the term “bakya” was a fatal derogative in the ’60s, until “burgis” turned the table around in the ’70s. As amply demonstrated by certain high officials, being seen as rich, powerful, or influential translates into a life of ease and privilege, with doors effortlessly opening and restricted bus lanes beckoning.
Which explains why on Sunday at Edsa Guadalupe, a luxury car with plate number 7 thought nothing of slipping into the busway meant only for emergency vehicles and the five top officials of the land. According to the Department of Transportation, the white Cadillac Escalade ignored and tried to run over the traffic enforcer who had approached it before fleeing the scene, its passenger even flipping the bird as it sped away. While the driver, who surrendered Tuesday, said he was in a hurry to get back to their Ortigas office because he was feeling unwell, subsequent information belied this.
In a press briefing, Sen. Raffy Tulfo said the vehicle belongs to Orient Pacific Corp. whose shareholders, Securities and Exchange Commission records revealed, include the brother and father of Sen.
Sherwin Gatchalian. The passenger was an elderly Gatchalian relative, Tulfo said, refusing to confirm speculations that it was the senator’s father, plastics tycoon William Gatchalian who had initially denied using the vehicle at that time, saying he wa.