A cancer patient in Metro Manila reportedly passed away after an ambulance transporting her to a medical check-up was flagged and initially barred from using the EDSA Busway, a dedicated lane for authorised buses, sparking outrage and scrutiny over enforcement policies.
The incident occurred around 6am on Tuesday, 17 February, when traffic enforcers from the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Special Action and Intelligence Committee for Transportation (SAICT) stopped the ambulance, driven by Manuel Palileo. The vehicle was en route to a Stage 4 cancer patient’s routine medical appointment.
According to the patient’s daughter, Riza Valencia, the enforcers refused to recognise the urgency of the situation despite explanations from the driver, causing a 30-minute delay. The stress reportedly contributed to her mother’s death shortly after they returned home to Bulacan Province.
SAICT official Rayson dela Torre defended the enforcement, saying scheduled medical check-ups do not qualify for busway access, which he claimed was reserved for life-and-death emergencies.
However, Acting DOTr Secretary Giovanni Lopez clarified in a memorandum that on-duty ambulances are permitted to use the busway regardless of the patient’s condition. Following the controversy, dela Torre was relieved from his post as SAICT head, and the committee was instructed to retrain its enforcers on proper policies for emergency vehicles.
The case has sparked widespread criticism and highlighted the importance of clear protocols for ambulances and critical medical transport in busy urban areas.
