The Land Transportation Office (LTO) on Friday issued a 90-day preventive suspension order against the license of the driver in a Taguig City road incident, which went viral after a traffic enforcer was spotted clinging to the involved vehicle’s hood as the former allegedly attempted to escape.
According to LTO chief Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) sent a complaint letter to his office against the driver.
Mendoza said the preventive suspension was part of their ongoing investigation on the incident.
“Hindi lang po preventive suspension, nilagay na rin po natin sa alarma ang pulang (sasakyan…) habang isinasagawa ang ating imbestigasyon tungkol dito,” Mendoza added.
(We didn’t just impose a preventive suspension; we also placed the vehicle under alert while we conduct our investigation on the matter.)
A show cause order (SCO) was also issued against the vehicle owner and her husband, who was driving the car during the traffic incident. They were ordered to appear before the LTO Central Office on Sept. 3 “to explain why they should not be penalized,” the LTO said.
They will be facing charges for reckless driving, failure to comply with the duty of driver in case of accident, and improper person to operate a motor vehicle.
The LTO instructed the driver surrender his driver’s license on or before the scheduled hearing on Sept. 3.
Last Thursday, the MMDA said it was considering to file attempted homicide charges against the driver.
According to the LTO, police investigation showed that the driver, who was driving a red multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), sideswiped a motorcycle at the East Service Road near Nichols Philippine National Railway (PNR) Station in Taguig City on Aug. 27, Tuesday.
After the collision, the motorcycle moved in front of the MPV to block it as the latter’s driver “seemed to be attempting to flee,” the LTO added. The MPV then hit the motorcycle again, on its rear this time, before driving away.
However, a nearby MMDA traffic enforcer witnessed the incident and attempted to stop the MPV, “but the driver ignored him and fled.”
The enforcer chased and intercepted the MPV and even stood in front of the vehicle but the driver sped off, “which caused the traffic enforcer to be dragged and almost risk his life,” the LTO said.
In a recent interview, the MMDA enforcer said he asked the two motorists to stop and settle the issue. Instead of following him, however, the MPV driver tried to escape by allegedly hitting him. This prompted the traffic enforcer to jump on top of the car and cling to its hood.
MMDA acting chairperson Romando Artes earlier said the driver had visited the agency’s office to give his side on the matter and apologize to the traffic enforcer.
However, the enforcer had said that he wanted the driver thrown in jail. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
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