The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has issued two Show Cause Orders (SCOs) against the drivers and registered owners of the two trucks which separately figured in fatal road accidents in Quezon City and Parañaque City.
LTO Chief, Assistant Secretary Vigor D. Mendoza II said that both the driver’s licenses of the two truck drivers were preventively suspended for 90 days and the two drivers were mandated to surrender the driver’s licenses in the soonest possible time.
On the other hand, the Isuzu Wing Van Truck with Plate No. RJK-719 which rammed vehicles and motorcycles at the Katipunan Avenue flyover on Thursday night, Dec. 5, and the Suzuki UV Van Carrier with Plate No. JAO-6376 which figured in an accident at the Skyway At-Grade Southbound on Friday night, Dec. 6, were already placed under alarm to prevent any and all transactions.
“Part of the investigation we are conducting is to determine if there are lapses on the part of the registered owners, especially on the aspect of road worthiness and the employment of the driver,” said Mendoza.
Based on the police report submitted to the LTO-Law Enforcement Service (LES), the Isuzu Wing Van Truck rammed several vehicles and motorcycles along the Katipunan flyover and left four people dead and 25 others injured.
In the SCO signed by LTO-LES director Eduardo de Guzman, the registered owner of the truck was asked to explain why he should not be sanctioned over the incident.
“In view thereof, you, as the registered owner of the complained motor vehicle, are hereby directed to submit a written explanation why you should not be administratively charged for Employing Reckless Driver,” the SCO read.
It stated that employment of reckless drivers is a violation of the Paragraph 7 Title IV of the Joint Administrative Order 2014-01.
On the other hand, the truck driver was directed to submit his own written explanation as to why he should not be charged for Reckless Driving (Sec. 48 of R.A. 41236) and why his driver's license should not be suspended or revoked for being an Improper Person to Operate a Motor Vehicle in connection with the incident.
The second SCO issued was for the registered owner of the Suzuki UV Van Carrier and its driver after the accident in Parañaque City that killed a motorists and injured at least five others at around 7:45 p.m. on Friday.
Both the driver and the registered owner of the truck were asked to explain why they should not be held liable for the incident.
“Failure to appear and submit the written comments/explanations as required shall be construed by this Office as a waiver of your rights to be heard, and the case shall be decided based on the evidence at hand,” the SCO read.