LTO slaps 90-day license suspension vs driver who hit pushcart owner
The Land Transportation (LTO) said on Monday it has suspended for 90 days the license of a pickup driver who slapped on the back of the head a man pushing a cart on the street.
The road rage incident, according to the LTO, was captured on video by a netizen who posted it on social media. It showed the driver of the Toyota Hilux angrily berating the pushcart owner for supposedly hitting his vehicle before slapping him on the back of his head.
The netizen taking the video can be heard telling the driver not to hurt the pushcart owner. The driver went inside his vehicle and quickly drove away when he noticed that he was being recorded on video.
Hearing to be held
The video uploader, however, was able to capture the pickup truck’s license plate. She also showed the daughter of the pushcart owner crying loudly after the child witnessed the road rage incident.
Aside from having his license suspended, the pickup driver was also issued a show-cause order that directed him to appear before the LTO Intelligence and Investigation Division. He will have to explain why he should not be held liable for being an improper person to operate a motor vehicle, the LTO said in a statement.
“LTO chief Assistant Secretary Markus V. Lacanilao strongly condemned the driver’s assault on a father and his young daughter who were pushing a cart that hit the driver of the white Toyota Hilux,” the LTO said in its statement.
According to Lacanilao, justice will be served, adding that the agency will not tolerate such behavior on the road.
“If the allegations in the video are true, the driver must be held accountable. We assure the public that we will bring this incident to justice,” he said.
The LTO told the Inquirer that details of the incident would be determined during the hearing to be held for the pickup driver.
