Manila, Oct. 14 -- The recent road altercation involving an undersecretary of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the misuse of a protocol plate is yet another blatant display of entitlement and an ironic betrayal of the very essence of public service associated with the government agency.

In a video that has made rounds on social media, a luxury vehicle bearing a "10" protocol plate - assigned to justices of the Court of Appeals (CA), the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA), the Sandiganbayan, and the Solicitor General based on regulations of the Land Transportation Authority (LTO)- was involved in a road altercation in Quezon City.

The vehicle, which was ferrying DOTr Undersecretary for Special Concerns Ricky Alfonso, used blinkers and...