The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has summoned the driver as well as the student riding a motorcycle he recently hit in Teresa, Rizal, according to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Saturday.
Earlier, the DOTr released a statement ordering the revocation of the license of the driver after he was seen in a viral video intentionally crashing into the student’s motorcycle because ‘it allegedly ran over his vehicle.’ In a statement on Saturday, the DOTr said that the driver and the student are directed to appear before the Intelligence and Investigation Division in the LTO office in Quezon City at 3 p.m. on Monday.
The agency said the driver received a show-cause order from the LTO for hitting the student riding the motorcycle, ‘causing the latter to fall and be dragged for several meters along the roadway before the vehicle came to a stop, resulting in multiple injuries.’
The driver was ordered to explain ‘why (he) should not be administratively charged for reckless driving under Section 48 of RA 4136, and why (his) driver’s license should not be suspended or revoked for being an Improper Person to Operate a Motor Vehicle under Section 27 (a) of R.A. 4136, as amended by Section 7 of B.P.’
His driver’s license was also suspended for 90 days. Meanwhile, a show-cause order was also issued to the 15-year-old student for driving a motorcycle with no side mirror and valid license and for not wearing a helmet.
The student was directed to explain ‘why (he) should not be administratively charged for reckless driving under Section 48 of R.A. 4136, Duty to Procure License under Section 19 of R.A. 4136, Mandatory Use of Motorcycle Helmets under Section 3 of Republic Act No.10054, and Motor Vehicle Operating without or with defective/improper/unauthorized accessories, devices, equipment, and parts under Title Il. Par. (d) of Joint Administrative Order No. 2014-01.’
‘Traffic violations, criminal liability’
According to Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez, the LTO, under its mandate, will investigate the violations of traffic laws from the incident involving the driver and the student. ‘Definitely, both sides are at fault because the driver-you saw the harm he inflicted on the child-meanwhile the minor didn’t have a helmet and a license,’ Lopez noted.
But he also noted that on the aspect of criminal liability, the DOTr will provide assistance for the student in filing a case against the driver.
‘With regard to criminal liability, that’s where we will really provide assistance to the minor because there is no place on the road for abusive and irresponsible drivers,’ Lopez emphasized.
‘We will help the family file a case against the driver because it is clear from the video that he really intended to hurt the minor. We should not let this go,’ he added.
Earlier this Saturday, Lopez visited the house of the student to check on his situation after the incident.
The DOTr said the student turned out to not have been able to attend classes for days already due to the bruises he suffered.
‘FThe government, especially the DOTr, lends its full support for you. We are on your side. What the driver did to the child is absolutely unacceptable,’ Lopez told the student.