LTO: Driver in BGC viral video could lose license for drunk driving

The Land Transportation Office on Thursday said that the motorist seen in a video deliberately going the wrong way down a one-way street in Bonifacio Global City could have his driver's license revoked for drunk driving.

In a statement, the LTO said that its Intelligence and Investigation Division has issued a show cause order to the registered owner and driver of the vehicle, a resident of Sta. Mesa, Manila, and has requested that he appear before the LTO Central Office on October 15.

The video—which according to the LTO was posted on social media with the title "drunk driving at bgc"—showed the motorist deliberately driving the wrong way down the one-way 7th Street in the business and commercial hub in Taguig on September 23 before being stopped by a traffic enforcer.

Audio also indicated the passengers suggesting the driver should say he was just following a navigation app. The name of a politician's child was also reportedly mentioned by the group.

“Isa itong iresponsableng gawain na naglalagay sa alanganin ng buhay ng mga road users. Mabuti na lamang at hindi ito nagdulot sa isang aksidente,” said LTO chief Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II. 

“Hindi natin palalampasin ang mga ganitong asal sa kalsada. Kaya tayo ay nag-issue ng show cause order laban sa may-ari ng sasakyan at driver nito,” he added.

(This is an irresponsible act that could have endangered the lives of road users. It is fortunate that this did not end in an accident. We will not let road behavior like this slide. This is why we have issued a show cause order against the vehicle's owner and driver.)

The order mandates the owner and driver to submit a written explanation on why he should not be held liable for cases of Reckless Driving, Driving While Under the Influence of Liquor or Narcotic Drug and Improper Person to Operate a Motor Vehicle. 

It is said that the maximum penalty for the offense is revocation of the driver’s license. 

“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. In the interim, your driver's license and the subject motor vehicle are placed on alarm pending this investigation,” the SCO read.

The LTO statement did not say whether the motorist's state of sobriety was confirmed at the scene.

GMA Integrated News has reached out to the LTO Investigation and Intelligence Division, and the social media influencer who posted the video, for comment. — Sherylin Untalan/BM, GMA Integrated News