Superpower contest spills over to EDSA busway

(UPDATE) THE superpower contest between the United States and China spilled over to the EDSA busway over the weekend when a traffic altercation triggered accusations of espionage. The Chinese Embassy in Manila had asked the authorities for the "final results" of their investigation into an incident Friday morning when an SUV with US Embassy diplomatic plates was stopped on Ortigas Avenue for illegally using the busway. The Department of Transportation's enforcement team attempted to issue a ticket to the driver, who could only provide his passport instead of a valid driver's license. Tension rose when another American in the vehicle protested against taking a photo of the passport, claiming it was illegal. He demanded the photo be deleted for fear that it could be sold to Chinese spies operating in the Philippines. He asked to speak with a senior police officer to sort things out, warning that it might escalate to the embassy level. Despite the heated moment, enforcers remained calm and said they needed information on the passport to issue the ticket. Ultimately, the driver received a temporary operator's permit, and the situation was resolved without further conflict. But in a statement Saturday, the Chinese Embassy said it was "deeply shocked" and concerned about the baseless accusations against China and the presence of so-called Chinese spies. "We want to be informed of the final results of the investigation by Philippine law enforcement authorities," the embassy said. The US Embassy in Manila said it was aware of the traffic incident and instructed all staff to adhere to Philippine laws, including traffic regulations.