CCTV captures customs clerk driving Porsche

Posted on February 4th, 2012. Written by Rico.

A Bureau of Customs employee behind the wheel of a Porsche Carrera 4 is scandalous enough, but its the camera footage—and related physical injury and attempted murder charges—that make the story all more interesting.

According to ABS-CBN News: Customs clerk Paulino Elevado and his passenger Florencio Bato were caught on CCTV camera last January 21, 2012, as he chased another driver who had sideswiped him and fled. The footage shows Elevado zooming after the offending Innova on the southbound side of SLEX, near the vicinity of Magallanes.

The full report is here. You can watch the video report here.

The summary: Elevado and Bato eventually caught up with the Innova. The driver and his companion, a 20-year-old student and a friend, were physically assaulted, and drove off again after “Elevado threatened to get his firearm” from the Porsche. When the student reached the safety of Marriott Hotel near Resorts World Manila, guards held Customs employee and his passenger, later turning them over to police. The Innova was found riddled with four bullet holes, and a .40 caliber firearm was confiscated from Elevado.

Worth noting here is the story’s visibility made possible by CCTV footage. Cameras are situated throughout SLEX so that operators can report on traffic conditions and provide visual records of accidents. ABS-CBN’s report would be less compelling without its video accompaniment.

In a country where government corruption is a popular topic, the Bureau of Customs is the worst of the worst in terms of reputation. Perhaps cameras should be installed in the government agency’s offices? Then again, who would watch the watchers?

Here are three lessons for you, dear readers: Don’t flee the scene of accident, unless you want to push a gun-crazy driver over the edge. Guns should only be used for self-defence, not for pursuing your own personal crusade. And most importantly, government employees really need higher salaries. Elevado’s reported monthly income is less than ₱10,000, a bit over minimum wage That’s just asking for corruption to happen.