Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairperson Atty. Don Artes said Tuesday the agency acknowledges a recent incident involving its Special Operations Group-Strike Force (SOG-SF) head Gabriel Go and will address the matter seriously with full accountability.
In an official statement, Artes said the MMDA has spoken with Senator JV Ejercito regarding his post about the incident and has committed to responding to him accordingly.
“We, the officials of MMDA, consistently remind all our employees that we are public servants and that we should treat everyone with respect and utmost courtesy. Even in times of aggression, we exercise maximum tolerance and compassion,” Artes said.
“However, we are only human. We get tired, and sometimes, our zealousness in enforcing the traffic laws gets the best of us,” he added, stressing that Gabriel Go as a good man and a dedicated MMDA enforcer.
“If he committed a mistake, we will accord him due process and penalize him as justified,” Artes said.
The MMDA chief acknowledged that their job is challenging and often frustrating but stressed that this is not an excuse to violate policies or protocols.
He maintained that their commitment to serving the public must remain unwavering, despite difficulties and negative public reactions.
“We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused our constituents. It will be a learning experience for Mr. Go and the MMDA as a whole,” Artes said.