Manila, April 4 -- House Secretary-General Reginald Velasco condemned on Friday the misuse of a special protocol plate "8" seen in the viral traffic altercation video, saying it appears to be counterfeit.

In a statement, Velasco said using a fake "8" plate is a punishable offense under existing laws and undermines the integrity of official government markings.

Velasco said the "8" plate is exclusively reserved for members of the House of Representatives and is not valid for private or unauthorized use.

"From watching the viral video, it would seem that the protocol plate is fake. It does not seem to have the security features of an original "8" protocol plate. Our law enforcement agencies can easily identify fake plates and confiscate ...