It was a giant win for Sal Panelo because he answered the challenge and pulled it off.

PRESIDENTIAL spokesman Salvador Panelo is game with a motorbike backride with a stranger as he took the challenge aired by militants to prove them wrong about their claim of an alleged transport crisis. YUMMIE DINGDING

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel and presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo won plaudits for making good a dare to go to work yesterday by commuting and not use his own car, which took him all of four hours, from his place of residence in Marikina to his office in Malacañang, to complete.

In a series of photos he shared online, Panelo can be seen riding a jeepney and even taking a photo of himself with other passengers.

There was also one photo of Panelo, who was wearing a white cap, white long-sleeved shirt, black pants and black shoes, taking a photo of the jeepmey driver while he was commuting.

“It was a giant win for Sal Panelo because he answered the challenge and pulled it off and that was the point, right? Of course, it is. Unless you’re a f****ng communist then the only point is to take power and unleash a famine like Mao did,” Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said in a social media message.

“That’s Sal. And you gotta admit, he took their dare and he pulled it off. Low-class bitches won’t accept that he won that one,” Locsin added.

Netizens also shared their photos of Panelo standing on the side of a sidewalk using his phone while reportedly waiting for a passenger jeepney.

One netizen identified as Erika Pelipel with twitter handle @erikpels tweeted that she was able to ride a jeep with Panelo who came without any bodyguards.

She wrote, “Panelo is a passenger in my jeep. In fairness to him, no bodyguards. Commute if he shall. He said that he started the trip at around 5:15 a.m.,” she posted.

In a press briefing at Malacañang on Thursday, Panelo reiterated that he is not necessarily “bowing” to the demands of his critics when he accepted their challenge for him to commute going to work.

He also maintained he is not trying to prove anything when he accepted the challenge made by militant groups Bayan, Bayan Muna and Anakbayan for him to commute to work to experience the daily ordeal of ordinary workers.

“No, not necessarily. I just accepted their challenge, but I’ll do it my way,” Panelo told reporters.

“I’m not trying to prove anything, I’m just accepting their challenge,” he added.

He said what’s pointless is not accepting their challenge as they would make more fuss about it.

“If you don’t accept the challenge, they will keep on talking. So, okay, I’ll accept it,” Panelo said.

The Palace official said it’s up to his critics if they will still criticize him even after accepting their challenge.

“Let’s leave them alone. We are accustomed to criticism. What’s new?” he said.

When asked if commuting to work will only last for a day, Panelo said people should just watch him.

“You’ll hear about it and maybe you’ll see something on it,” he said.

“The theory is, I don’t want any media coverage to avoid any spectacle. They may think I’m only after the publicity. What I’m thinking is that if someone does recognize me, if they see me, someone will take (a photo), surreptitiously. Then they will post it, that’s it,” he said.

Panelo expressed belief that if someone notices him commuting whether by taking a jeepney or the light rail transit, someone will post it on social media.

“Let the critics be. What is important is that I accepted it, the talk is over, the story ends. Let’s see how it evolves. Let’s wait for the next chapter,” he said.

Panelo also told reporters that ever since he entered government, he doesn’t have any security.

The presidential spokesman was replying to a statement of Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes for him to commute with “no security, no aides, no bodyguards, no special treatment, no waiting cars and during rush hour like the rest of the commuters.”