The new, pristine and fresh, Republic Act 10586, popularly known as the "Anti-Drunk Driving Law" may be put to a test after a lady lawyer was sent to jail over a scuffle with traffic authorities in EDSA, Quezon City late Tuesday night.
According to a report by the Eastwood Police Station (PS-12) of the Quezon City Police District Office, at about 11:43 p.m. on Tuesday, lawyer Bettina Zamora, 30, a resident of Corinthian Garden, was driving her black BMW sedan (ZLJ-468) while under the influence of liquor when she reportedly had a heated argument with another motorist.
As the altercation was already causing traffic to slow down in the area, two Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) traffic constables -- Saturnino Embuscado and Michael Arcilla --responded at the scene to investigate the commotion.
Police said that when Embuscado and Arcilla arrived at the scene, a drunk Zamora allegedly immediately hurled invectives at them. The MMDA enforcers then radioed for police assistance. Four police officers from the Eastwood Police Station led by SPO2 Ritchie Madrid then arrived aboard a patrol car.
This is when things begin to get dirty.
According to his statement, Madrid said Zamora gave him the “dirty finger” while shouting expletives in Tagalog. Madrid said Zamora then grabbed his neck and uniform. Madrid said Zamora pulled his uniform so hard that it was torn.
Madrid said he then handcuffed Zamora and arrested her. She was later brought to the Eastwood Police Station.
Zamora tested positive for alcohol following an alcohol breath analysis done at the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center in Manila.
She was charged with direct assault, obstruction, alarm and scandal, and driving under the influence of liquor (Republic Act 10586 - Anti Drunk Driving Law).
According to a Philstar news report, Zamora is currently a senior associate at the Kapunan, Garcia and Castillo Law Offices. The law firm formerly represented businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles in the illegal detention case lodged against her by her cousin Benhur Luy before the Makati Regional Trial Court.
This was not the first case of road bullying in Quezon City. Just two years ago, a Philip Morris executive named Robert Blair Carabuena assaulted MMDA enforcer Saturnino Fabros after the latter apprehended him for a traffic violation. The assault case is still pending with the courts.
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