The Land Transportation Office (LTO) on Friday said it has summoned the registered owner and the driver of a taxicab that caught fire on EDSA in Quezon City last Wednesday.

LTO chief Assistant Secretary Atty. Vigor D. Mendoza II said the issuance of a Show Cause Order (SCO) on both the registered owner and the driver of the taxi (ABE-2064) was aimed at clarifying the issue of the vehicle’s roadworthiness.

“The vehicle was being used to transport passengers. And what happened here is very dangerous since it put the life and limb of not only the driver but more importantly, the passengers at risk,” Mendoza said.

“This case will now be investigated, and we will find out if that vehicle is being maintained regularly, which is a must for motor vehicles used for public transportation,” he added.

Based on the SCO signed by LTO-Intelligence and Investigation Division chief Renante Melitante, both the registered owner and the driver of the taxi were asked to appear before the LTO Central Office on 27 January along with their notarized affidavits explaining what happened.

It stemmed from a report about a taxi that caught fire along EDSA in Barangay Sto. Cristo, Quezon City.

The notarized written explanation, based on the SCO, should focus on why both the registered owner and the driver should not be held administratively liable for failing to ensure the roadworthiness of the motor vehicle before operating.

“Failure on your part to attend and/or submit no comment filed on that day shall be construed as a waiver of your right to be heard in this investigation, and this Office shall proceed to investigate the case and resolve the matter based on available records at hand,” the SCO read.