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🇵🇭 Philippines /Crime & Justice

MMDA Official Barred From Clearing Ops After Teacher-Shaming Video

From PhilStar · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • MMDA official Gabriel Go is under investigation and barred from clearing operations after shaming a teacher in a viral video.
  • This is Go's second shaming incident, following a similar case last year where he publicly berated a police officer.
  • The MMDA's policy on social media posting during operations appears inconsistent, with Go previously allowed to post on personal accounts.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) official Gabriel Go has been removed from clearing operations and is facing a new investigation after a video surfaced showing him publicly scolding a teacher for not wearing a helmet while riding a motorcycle.

Bagama’t hindi siya suspendido sa trabaho, sinuspend muna natin ‘yung clearing ops niya.

— Romando ArtesMMDA Chairman Romando Artes explaining the action taken against Gabriel Go.

The incident, posted on Go's personal Facebook page on July 14, shows him confronting the teacher in uniform. "You’re a teacher and you don’t have a helmet? How can we teach our students in that case?" Go said, despite the teacher's apology and request not to be filmed. The teacher's face was blurred in the video.

Teacher ka tapos wala kang helmet? Paano naman natin tuturuan ang ating mga estudyante kung ganoon?

— Gabriel GoGabriel Go confronting a teacher in a viral video.

This marks the second time Go has faced a complaint for public shaming. Last year, he was involved in a similar incident where he berated a police officer for illegal parking. Although he issued a public apology and underwent anger management training, a cyber libel charge was filed against him. The MMDA had previously banned personal vlogging during operations after that incident, requiring only official agency accounts to post content.

Dapat inisip niyo ‘yan bago kayo gumawa ng mali.

— Gabriel GoGabriel Go's remark to the teacher he was scolding.

However, MMDA Chairman Romando Artes stated that Go was not suspended but only barred from clearing operations. Artes also noted a prior agreement allowing Go to post content on his personal social media after it appeared on official channels, creating some confusion regarding the agency's policy enforcement. The Teachers' Dignity Coalition, while acknowledging the teacher's traffic violation, objected to Go's public reprimand.

Napag-usapan namin ‘yan before pa na magpo-post kami ng video sa social media pages namin, then pwede rin siyang mag-post after naming mag-post ng activity sa aming official social media page.

— Romando ArtesMMDA Chairman Romando Artes clarifying the policy on social media posts.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by PhilStar in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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