Why Support for A Violent Erring Driver is Troubling

It’s Blue vs. Blue. On the blue corner, it’s MMDA enforcer Jorvy Adriatico. On the other blue corner, it’s businessman and flauntatious Maserati owner Joseph Russel Ingco. It’s a stupid way to put it, right? Filipinos love rivalries, though. And it’s perhaps annoying to see both trying to gain sympathy through media. However, my opinion is not based on that.

Photo courtesy of Philippines Daily

Photo courtesy of Philippines Daily

Ingco is in the hotseat for having mauled Adriatico, which was caught on CCTV. All Adriatico was doing was taking a video of Ingco’s car (who wouldn’t want to if it’s a rare sports car after all). But something snapped in Ingco, so he doubled back, had an argument, hit the guy, pulled him in and drove fast with Adriatico hanging from the window. It’s as if Ingco wanted to kill him.

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So the above is my understanding of the situation. Ingco did the mauling, and Adriatico did nothing in the way of bribing or mulcting, so whatever he did has yet to be proven. Thus, Ingco has greater things to answer for because he actually tried to cause serious bodily injury to Adriatico. And this was recorded. Thus, Ingco should be charged and punished accordingly based on this.

The problem is, people have appeared claiming they were “victimized” by Adriatico. However, the timing is suspect; how could they come out only now, after so much time has passed after the supposed victimization? If Adriatico certainly has bribed or cheated some people, an investigation certainly should be held. My worry though is the possible outcome is that Adriatico, the one who was hurt in the incident in questioned, gets punished while Ingco walks away free.

If this happens, it would not only mean the triumph of the dysfunction of impunity, but it would also encourage other people to justify their acting as if they own the road. And even if they actually committed a violation, they would just say “you’re nothing but a corrupt ass!” and go on their rampage. Thus, all this support for Ingco indicates that many Filipinos secretly (well, not so sercretly) harbor desires to disregard the rule of law.

Some people would say, you’re stupid to side with Adriatico! But no, I’m not siding with Adriatico. I’m merely saying Ingco clearly did wrong. If Adriatico has his own violations, investigate it. But never let the one who clearly mauled another person off the hook. That there is support for him reveals a troubling aspect in these Filipinos who give such support.

This aspect is probably that Filipinos tend to be violent. On Facebook, there are comment like, “I would do what Ingco would have done,” and “kill all those motherfucking MMDAs!” This supports the notion that Filipinos are a more violent people than others, and are “less civilized” as a whole. Thus, massacres like the Maguindanao one are commonplace.

There still seems to an attitude that favors the “bad boy” as a “hero.” I thought the movies glorifying criminals were relics of the 1970s; however, this obsolete attitude still remains. It thus reveals that these Filipinos are far from civilized. They want to pay back evil with another evil. And thus, our society will stay mostly corrupt and will never improve. And that even this issue divides Filipinos is yet another saddening aspect.

So many road rage issues plague Philippine society. Rolito Go is the poster boy of Filipino road rage. Then you have the man who killed a pregnant woman over parking space in Loyola Cemetery in Marikina. There’s Rajiv Dargani of Oakley Philippines who killed someone. While not fatal, we remember cigarette company employee Robert Carabuena who punched an MMDA officer. These people seem to be the darlings of a gullible society that seems to adore wrongdoers (like those in power right now!).

Some wise guys say it's just a car, but owning a Maserati means being so privileged enough to afford it.

Some wise guys say it’s just a car, but owning a Maserati means being so privileged enough to afford it.

Like I posted in an earlier article, the problem of Philippine society, as brilliantly observed by Spanish writer Jorge Majorro, is lack of respect for others and for public space. As Benign0’s brilliant words encapsulate: the trouble with Filipinos is that they don’t see any meaning in their lives that is bigger than themselves. They believe the public space is a playground for their hedonism, and that this hedonism comes at the cost of others, which they believe is all right. Unless Filipinos drop this attitude, merely going out of your home will be a life-endangering endeavor, since the source of the threat will be a fellow Filipino.

52 Replies to “Why Support for A Violent Erring Driver is Troubling”

  1. I don’t own a Maserati; although I am gainfully employed in the U.S.

    People who are very rich and owns : Maserati and other fancy cars, tend to think themselves above the law. They have money to hire Lawyers. They have money to influence the Media. They have money to pay PR, to work for them, to gain public sympathy.

    I have no sympathy with that: Ingco guy…he is just a Spoiled Rich Boy, and a Bad Ass…

    1. In some countries, including the Philippines… the word or description “bad ass” is a compliment… just my 2 cents Sir.

    2. @ HT 808, No way, that guy is NOT a BAD-ASS. He just a PUNK-ASS BITCH and when he is confronted by someone who could give him a proper tune-up? he cry like a li’ girl.

  2. As normal, Chino is assuming so many things. First of all, we are not talking a rare sport car here. We are talking a normal European car in Makati, a city that $60,000 cars are normal.

    Any support for the guy is not really support for him. It is people sick and tired of the bullshit that MMDA pulls every single day while trying to hide behind a plastic badge you can buy at Divisoria for P25.

      1. You are one out of touch. A 60k car is not out of the norm. Many people have much more expensive cars in the Philippines. You think everyone is a poor fuck in the Philippines and that simply is not true.

        1. And since the guy owns a Maserati, very expensive, it would means the guy has greater means than others. Shouldn’t he behave better to befit his status? That’s the principle of noblesse oblige.

  3. Maybe it’s the filpino’s frustration with the government… how in justices are not corrected. Taking the law unto one’s own hands seem to be the only way to satisfy the craving for justice and order. I’m just waiting for the final straw that will break the camel’s back… images of the L. A. riots don’t seem far fetched.

    1. That’s true. Considering that justice takes forever here to do unless you’re either filthy rich or have a bigger government watching your back. (China, Malaysia) It fosters this kind of popular notion of justice.

      Also, remember that the Ampatuan case still remains unsolved. So that will stick out like a sore thumb when someone looks for Justice in this country.

      And as for the idea of riots… It could happen, but unlikely considering how easily manipulated by the Government and media.

    2. Be careful what you wish for, if you want something like the L.A. riots to happen here. That will mean the country will descend into further chaos and dysfunction. The riots in the U.S. are a sign that it is declining. Violence because of frustration over slow justice can also lead to more injustice.

      1. why does everyone think the USA is declining? isn’t it obvious that even when they ow 18 trillion $$$ they still print money, and it is accepted world-wide without question. The fact is the US DOLLAR should be considered as valuable as toilet paper. Thta is not the sign of a declining state, it is the sign of an all powerful Super-power that does what it wants to do, when it wants to do it.
        Shit, if I owed 180 THOUSAND DOLLARS I would be cut off and have all sorts of nastiness descend on me, not so for the USA! They just print more toilet paper and everyone accepts. SO how is that any sort of sign that the USA is declining?

        1. It’s still the number one country in economic size, but it may also be the number one in douchebaggery. The Philippines is just trying to catch up.

        2. @ CF, LMAO, ‘DOUCHBAGGERY’, love that word. Even better is ‘SCUMBAGGERY’, and while at times it may be a close race….the ‘overt’ douch/scum-baggery winner would have to be the Philippines.The amount of outright corruption at every level of the society make sit the winner here.in the USA LTO(DMV)/Immigration clerks Customs officials can not solicit ‘fees’ as forthrightly as in the Philippines. When an Ex-pat (w/13A residency visa) goes to the LTO on Camiguin Island (as I did) and is charged DOUBLE the cost of a regular license and an accompanying International drivers license for both himself and his partner, it is an outright THEFT ! This can not and does not happen in the USA/EU as the offending ‘official would ,no doubt, be arrested and spend time in jail ,lose pension/medical benefits etc,etc and be sorry that they did it.BUT, not so in the Philippines.The Ex-pat that paid P20K for 4 licenses hates the ‘scumbag’ at that LTO office for his ‘DOUCHBAGGERY’, of yes indeed.BUT at higher levels of gov’t. is where the big bucks is stolen in the USA/EU making them appear as the Philippine officials are stealing ‘peanuts’, true dat !

          Keep up the good work CF !!!!!

  4. My understanding of what happened, Adriatico is a known scum bag who stopped Ingco for no valid reason, attempted to bully the guy and bit off more than he can chew. All I can say is, HA HA!

    1. Question, why did the “victims” take so long before they let out their complaints about Adriatico? As if on cue? Paid to talk?

      And it’s media exploiting the situation, I bet.

      1. Ahh, ever tried filling a complaint here? Sure it’s easy if you don’t need to work for a living, just go to window A to get to window B, at the end of the day you should get an appointment for window Z right? thats assuming all my affidavits are properly notarized of course, no sweat.

        Oh well, just remember folks, you can’t get pulled over for “serbing” and “dis obigenz” anymore. Nothing to see here folks

    2. Ingco was not stopped by the MMDA guy. From Ingco’s interview both with Gigi Grande & Jessica Soho…he said from his rear view mirror he noticed Adriatico taking a video of him. So after taking a u-turn, he himself stopped in front of the MMDA guy, pulled down his window and asked why he was taking a video. If you feel you didn’t do anything wrong, why stop? The MMDA guy wasn’t asking you to pull over.

    3. @ Winkydu, is that so? if it is ,then I am glad the scumbag got what he deserved.it is always fun to see the exalted (or so they think)get humbled.”Have some crow pie,Sonny.EH?”,LMAO, but if it is the other way around and the rich guy is the scumbag, fuck him too!

  5. Yes, Adriatico is a major scum bag. He has been described as such by many people who know him.

    Let me ask one important question. Would Ingco get even more sympathy if he would be driving an old Volkswagen? I think pre-judging the guy based on what car he drives is pulling things out of your ass.

      1. ChinoF, you have a mechanical mind. Too bad you forgot to wind it up today.

        Me describing him as a scum bag is not a pre-judgment as it is based on various testimony by people who know him and not because he is working for the MMDA.

        1. Question is, are the testimonies valid? And does that qualify mauling him? Even Adriatico’s former abuses, if true, don’t deserve violence.

          Better a mechanical mind than a prejudiced mind.

        2. ChinoF, before you continue to post more misrepresentations, please point to where I said that he deserves to be mauled or attacked.

          You can have your opinions as much as we can have ours, but stop shoving it down our throats. You made your opinion crystal clear already. No need to force the issue. It’s rather childish, you know?

        3. What’s childish? I was just making a point, it seemed that you were the one shoving things down my throat. Good if you don’t approve of Ingco’s mauling. That NEVER deserves approval, but deserves condemnation.

  6. factually, adriatico did provoke ingco by video the car and ingco, so when ignco slapped the video/hand of adriatico, the cellphone fell, so adriatico wanted his cellphone back and so he hold on ingco or whatever to get back his cellphone, ingco punched adriatico to get away back adriatico hold because he wanted his cellphone back and beside he was angered bcoz ingco punched him, adriatico wanted revenged but unfortunate for adriatico, the car was more powerful than his muscle, so ingco got away, its about adriatico wanting his ceellphone back and his wounded pride/ego. let see went ingco present the cellphone in court and find out the real truth!!!!

    1. So Ingco slapped the cellphone out of Adriatico’s hand? Then Ingco still did wrong. He should’ve just went on his way. His KSP nature probably drove him to want attention.

    2. The real question is why did Ingco have to stop in the first place. He wasn’t being asked to pull over by the MMDA? Why didn’t he just continue driving ang simply ignored the MMDA? Looks like somebody was looking for a fight.

  7. If you are a low paid traffic enforcer. Would you pick up a fight with a person driving an expensive car , like Maserati?

    Nobody would dare to provoke a fight, in our culture; because that person maybe a “son” (legitimate or illegitimate) of a politically powerful person…

    Defenders of Ingco do not make sense, in their claim…

    1. And by the way; why maul the traffic enforcer?
      This is an act showing who the “powerful” guy is…the traffic enforcer represents the Law. Gingko by mauling the traffic enforcer; showed his disregard of the Law…plain and simple…

  8. Great article. The problem that the rich guy will get off is rooted in the fact the MMDA’s/LTO Officials are ill-regarded by most Filipino’s as they are only around when they are giving someone a ticket, soliciting a bribe etc……’so kill him’.

    HA, ITS TOO BAD FILIPINO’s DO NOT USE THE VIOLENT STREAK THEY SEEM TO HARBOR ON THE REAL CRIMINALS…THE PEOPLE RUNNING THE COUNTRY !

  9. The Chinese criminal Mafia: Triad is already in the Philippines. Most of those “rich” criminals are of Chinese descent. They are involved in: drugs, extortion, murder, etc…they have no regard to Philippine Law…they think, they are above the Philippine law…

  10. Here’s another assumption people make: as long as a person’s part of MMDA, they are corrupt. So what if I say, not all MMDA are corrupt? I guess those people will rage against for being a “supporter for corruption…” which is not what I said. hehehe

    1. My friend who lives in the Philippines told me he tried bribing an MMDA officer just to forget about giving him his traffic citation days ago but the officer didn’t accept his bribe. Guess not all traffic aids are pigs, then. For a country run by lunatics, crocodiles masquerading as cops and having a shitty constitution…I’m amazed that the people in the Philippines can tolerate corruption to the point of adopting it into their consciousness.

        1. Not surprising there since most Filipinos are poor and uneducated, hence the lack of transparency for “real” truth and information. Surprisingly, surveys about your satisfactory ratings for your government are high. So…people are already contented to live like rats then.

  11. The Chinese Mafia called:Triad, works like the “Cosa Nostra” in Sicily, Italy; or the American Mafia. They have legitimate businesses. In New York, U.S.A. They handle garbage collection, construction, restaurants, etc…however, this is to hide their: extortion, drug dealing/manufacturing, prostitution, etc…

    Remember the days of Al Capone in Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. Al Capone bought the: Police, Judges, Mayors, and other Public Officials. Al Capone had also the best lawyer, he hired in Chicago. He was convicted of tax evasion; because they cannot find any charges against him; inspite of his numerous crimes.

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