MANILA – The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has summoned the driver and registered owner of a Toyota Avanza that rammed a traffic enforcer in Santa Maria, Bulacan on Tuesday.
In a statement Thursday, LTO chief Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II said the driver and registered owner of the vehicle with plate number NIO-3457 were both issued a show cause order (SCO), with a temporary alarm placed on the vehicle “due to the gravity/severity of the acts of the driver.”
“Based on the initial investigation, the driver of the vehicle fell asleep while driving and this resulted in this unfortunate incident,” Mendoza said.
In the SCO signed by LTO-Intelligence and Investigation Division (IID) chief Renante Melitante, the driver was asked to explain why he or she should not be penalized for reckless driving and for being an improper person to operate a vehicle.
Possible penalty for such violation is either a suspension or revocation of their driver’s license.
On the other hand, the vehicle owner was also asked to explain why he or she should not be penalized for violating traffic rules and regulations.
“Failure to appear and submit 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,” the SCO read.
The incident happened at around 10:30 a.m while the driver was traversing Santa Maria Bridge towards Barangay Bagbaguin in Santa Maria town.
According to reports, the driver fell asleep on the wheel and hit traffic enforcer Salvador Marquez Dela Cruz Jr., who was managing the traffic in the area.
Fatal collision
In a separate SCO, the LTO also summoned the driver and the registered owner of a modern jeepney involved in a road collision with a tricycle in Calumpit, Bulacan that killed two people and injured several others.
Mendoza said a thorough investigation on the incident will be made to find out the circumstances that led to the incident.
“In the conduct of investigation, we want to know if there were lapses committed on the part of the driver and on the part of the registered owner in terms of keeping the modern jeepney roadworthy,” he said.
According to an initial investigation, the driver of the modern jeepney with plate number NIF-2746 claimed that the vehicle lost its brakes, forcing it to occupy the opposite side of the road to avoid hitting the vehicle in front.
However, the modern jeepney instead hit a tricycle head-on, with both vehicles falling off a cliff near the bridge where the incident occurred.
Both the driver’s license and the modern jeep involved have been placed on temporary alarm for 90 days, the LTO said. (PNA)