photo from the MMDA video
The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has issued a summon on the registered owner of a vehicle that went viral after it made a U-turn at the EDSA-Aurora underpass on Tuesday, Oct. 8.
LTO chief Assistant Secretary Vigor D. Mendoza II said that they also informed the registered owner that the black Hyundai Tucson with license plate ZMM 842 will be placed under alarm to prevent any and all transactions while under investigation.
“We already received a formal complaint from MMDA chairman Don Artes regarding this incident and this is now the subject of our investigation. Our immediate response was to issue a Show Cause Order (SCO),” said Mendoza.
“What the driver did was reckless and irresponsible as it did not only endanger his life but also of the other motorists,” he added.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) forwarded a complaint to the LTO after its monitoring team spotted the vehicle doing what it described as unsafe U-turn.
LTO chief Asst. Sec. Vigor D. Mendoza II accepts the complait letter and pieces of evidence from the MMDA in connection with the viral U-turn of a vehicle at the EDSA-Aurora underpass. (photo: MMDA)
In the SCO signed Renate Militante, chief of the LTO-Intelligence and Investigation Division, the registered owner from Makati City was asked to appear before the LTO Central Office on Oct. 14 to shed light on the incident.
The registered owner was directed to bring with him the driver of the vehicle during the first hearing, together with their written explanation as to why they should not be penalized.
Among the administrative cases against the driver was Reckless Driving (Sec. 48 of Republic Act (RA) 4136) and Obstruction of Traffic (Sec. 54 of RA 4136).
“The involved driver is further directed to submit a comment/explanation why his/her driver's license should not be suspended or revoked for being an Improper Person to Operate a Motor Vehicle pursuant to Sec. 27(a) of R.A. 4136 in connection with the incident,” the SCO read.
“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,” the SCO read.