Maximum penalty: LTO may revoke license of bumbling BGC drunk driver
It’s always most satisfying seeing irresponsible – read: DRUNK – drivers getting their just desserts. The LTO is on the heels of a recent video that went viral. In the said video, what’s purported to be a drunk driver was traveling along a one-way street in BGC, and while swerving and in the wrong direction at that. Dangerous and downright idiotic, it gets worse as the event was posted on social media. The maximum penalty: revocation of the driver’s License.
LTO issues Show Cause Order Order following viral video of drunk driving shenanigans
Photo: Land Transportation Office
Obviously, the LTO is not taking this sitting down. In its published statement, the agency said that “LTO Chief, Assistant Secretary Atty. Vigor D. Mendoza II himself was irritated after seeing the video which showed that the driver and at least one of his companions appeared to be proud of violating traffic rules.”. If and when the agency Chief decides to have a direct hand in things, you know it’s going to be serious.
“Isa itong iresponsableng gawain na naglalagay sa alanganin ng buhay ng mga road users. Mabuti na lamang at hindi ito nagdulot sa isang aksidente. Hindi natin palalampasin ang mga ganitong asal sa kalsada. Kaya tayo ay nag-issue ng Show Cause Order (SCO) laban sa may-ari ng sasakyan at driver into,” Mendoza was quoted as saying.
[This is an irresponsible act that puts the lives of road users in danger. Luckily it didn’t result in an accident. We will not let road behaviors like this pass. This is why we issued a Show Cause Order to the owner and driver of the vehicle involved.]
Both the registered owner and driver of the vehicle were asked to appear before the LTO Central Office on October 15; that is tomorrow. The Show Cause Order likewise mandated the owner and driver to submit a written explanation as to why he should not be held liable for cases of Reckless Driving (Sec. 48 of R.A. 4136), Driving While Under the Influence of Liquor or Narcotic Drug (Sec. 53 of R.A. 4136) and Improper Person to Operate a Motor Vehicle pursuant to Sec. 27 (a) of R.A. 4136.
As mentioned previously, the maximum penalty is the revocation of the driver’s License.
If in any case, either or both summoned individuals do not present themselves to the LTO, the SCO states that “Failure to appear and submit the written comment/explanation as required shall be construed by this Office as a waiver of your right to be heard, and the case shall be decided based on the evidence at hand. In the interim, your driver’s license and the subject motor vehicle are placed on alarm pending this investigation”.
“Play stupid games, win stupid prizes”. Yes, we already said that this is downright idiotic because it is. Now comes the part where we wait and see what does happen to this case. An apology on TikTok? Swept under the rug after some paper lines some people’s palms or because the driver (and/or vehicle owner) is well-connected with powerful beings? We wouldn’t really know, would we? (Or maybe we will. LTO, you’ll issue an official statement and resolution, right?)
At least we know that it never pays to be insolent, irresponsible, and simply ignorant. There’s your couple of minutes of fame!
