LTO summons viral pick-up driver, owner over road rage

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) on Tuesday announced it has summoned the registered owner and driver of a pick-up truck involved in a viral road rage video with a passenger bus.

LTO chief Assistant Secretary Atty. Vigor D. Mendoza II said that the behavior of the Toyota Hilux driver, as seen in the video, demonstrated “lack of discipline and grave abuse that compromised the safety of nearby road users.”

The video shows the pick-up, with license plate EAE 6704, driving recklessly on a public road and repeatedly and deliberately blocking a public utility bus (PUB) from overtaking on both the left and right sides of the highway.

Mendoza said the investigation will also determine if the registered owner of the vehicle, a resident of Bato, Camarines Sur, was indeed the driver during the incident.

The registered owner has been ordered to appear at the Intelligence and Investigation Division of the LTO in East Avenue, Quezon City, on 20 June.

They are required to submit a written explanation as to why they should not face administrative charges for reckless driving (Section 48 of RA 4136) and why the involved driver’s license should not be suspended or revoked for being an “Improper Person to Operate a Motor Vehicle.”

Mendoza said that the Toyota Hilux (Plate No. EAE6704) will be temporarily placed under alarm, preventing any transactions while the investigation is ongoing.