Teacher apologizes over viral MMDA incident

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—The public school teacher whose apprehension for riding a motorcycle without a helmet went viral apologized to the public on Monday, saying he regrets that his traffic violation became associated with the teaching profession and sparked broader controversy. In a July 20 letter to Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chair Romando Artes, the teacher—identified only as “Teacher Bert”—acknowledged violating the law, accepted responsibility, and appealed for the incident to be treated as an individual mistake rather than a reflection of the teaching profession. He also questioned how the apprehension was recorded and later uploaded to social media, prompting the teacher to ask the MMDA to clarify its policies on filming and posting videos of enforcement operations. Article continues after this advertisement According to the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC), the teacher does not wish to be interviewed and considers the letter his “final comment” on the matter, although he is willing to cooperate if called by the MMDA as part of its investigation. “What pains me most is that what should have remained an ordinary traffic apprehension involving my own mistake eventually extended beyond me and drew the entire teaching profession into the controversy. For this, I sincerely apologize,” the teacher wrote. “I deeply regret that my personal lapse has, in one way or another, caused inconvenience and concern to the MMDA, the Department of Education (DepEd), my fellow teachers, my students, my family, and everyone else affected by this unfortunate incident,” he added. “It was never my intention for my mistake to become associated with the teaching profession as a whole, and I am truly sorry that my actions have resulted in this situation,” he also wrote. The teacher also said he was not disputing the traffic apprehension, stressing that he accepted responsibility for riding without a helmet during the July 13 incident and had already paid the corresponding fine. Article continues after this advertisement He also denied allegations that he tried to flee from the apprehending officers, adding that he “remained cooperative and complied with every lawful instruction given” throughout the encounter and had “always been willing to accept the appropriate legal consequences.” Concerns over recording While accepting liability for the traffic offense, the teacher said his concern was not the apprehension itself but how it was documented and later made public. Article continues after this advertisement He said he asked during the apprehension not to be included in the video. The teacher acknowledged that recording an apprehension for official documentation or as possible evidence in administrative or legal proceedings may be justified, but argued that this did not automatically warrant uploading the footage to social media. He said MMDA Special Operations Group head Gabriel Go responded that his face would be blurred. However, the teacher argued that blurring his face did not address the broader issues of privacy, dignity, and the propriety of publicly posting the encounter. “Despite my request, the encounter was later uploaded to social media, where it generated widespread public attention and subjected me to embarrassment, ridicule and public judgment,” he added. Teachers did not seek special treatment The teacher also disputed what he described as portrayals suggesting that teachers were seeking exemption from the law. He said succeeding social media posts, including some by Go, shifted the focus from his individual actions and portrayed teachers as seeking special treatment. The teacher maintained that he never sought exemption from the law or requested special treatment because he is a teacher, adding that neither teachers nor organizations that commented on the incident made such a claim. He also said his violation should not be used to judge the teaching profession. “I respectfully submit that my personal mistake should not be used to cast unfair judgment upon hundreds of thousands of teachers who faithfully perform their duties with integrity and professionalism,” he said. Echoing concerns earlier raised by the TDC, the teacher said the issue was not about resisting law enforcement but whether authorities exercised their powers with professionalism, restraint, courtesy, and respect for human dignity. READ: MMDA’s Go suspended from clearing ops after viral incident with teacher Questions for MMDA The teacher asked the MMDA to clarify whether its personnel are allowed to record and upload videos of apprehensions to their personal social media accounts, continue recording after a person has requested not to be featured, and what safeguards exist to protect the privacy and dignity of those being apprehended. He also asked whether Go’s conduct had been reviewed for compliance with MMDA policies and ethical standards and what measures the agency would adopt to prevent similar incidents. The teacher likewise requested that the MMDA direct Go to remove the July 14 video of his apprehension, along with “any other similar videos that unnecessarily demean individuals or violate their rights to privacy, dignity, and respectful treatment.” The controversy began after Go uploaded a video of the teacher’s apprehension for driving a motorcycle without a helmet on his Facebook page. The teacher repeatedly asked not to be filmed, but Go said his face would be blurred. When the teacher said people in the area knew him, Go replied in Filipino: “You should have thought of that first before doing something wrong.” The video drew mixed reactions online. Some supported Go’s reminder that teachers should set an example for students, while others questioned whether the teacher should have been filmed and the video posted publicly. Following the incident, the MMDA announced that Go had been relieved from participating in clearing operations while it investigates the matter. READ: MMDA’s Go has got to go, say lawmaker, teachers Calls for accountability ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio and the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) called for stronger action against Go, saying government personnel should enforce the law while respecting people’s rights and dignity. Tinio argued that suspension was insufficient, citing what he described as Go’s repeated practice of posting apprehension videos on his personal social media accounts. While acknowledging that the teacher violated the helmet law, Tinio said public officials should enforce regulations with courtesy, humility and respect for people’s rights and dignity. He added that Go’s behavior “toward our teachers and the public is extremely disrespectful and abusive as he accused the MMDA official of using the agency’s power “for his own interests and social media fame instead of enforcing the law with integrity.” ACT chair Ruby Bernardo said they do not condone traffic violations committed by teachers but questioned the public posting of the video despite the teacher’s request not to be featured. Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again. Your subscription has been successful. “The purpose of traffic law enforcement is to ensure public safety and compliance with the law, not to publicly shame violators,” Bernardo added./mcm