LTO: Ex-cop in QC road rage video no show in hearing, cases submitted for reso

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) on Friday said the cases being faced by former policeman Wilfredo Gonzales before the agency have been already submitted for resolution.

This, after Gonzales did not appear in the hearing scheduled at 2 p.m. on Thursday, August 31, according to LTO-National Capital Region (NCR) Assistant Regional Director Hanzley Lim.

Gonzales was instead represented by his son, who surrendered the former cop’s driver’s license in connection with the 90-day preventive suspension that was imposed by the agency early this week.

“Mr. Gonzales did not submit an affidavit so we take it as a waiver on his part for us to decide on the matter based on the pieces of evidence we have,” said Lim.

A show cause order (SCO) was issued against Gonzales, which he received on August 28, demanding him to explain why he should not be penalized for four violations under the Republic Act 4136, or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code, which include reckless driving, obstruction of traffic, and improper person to operate a motor vehicle.

The LTO-NCR said failure to submit a notarized affidavit “would be deemed as a waiver to hear and contradict the allegations against the latter.”

“With the absence of the notarized affidavit, these cases were already submitted for resolution and whatever the results, they will be submitted to the office of our LTO Chief, Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II, for approval,” said Lim.

Mendoza earlier directed the LTO-NCR to expedite the resolution of the cases, without compromising the right of Gonzales to due process.

The maximum penalty for cases leveled against Gonzales by the agency is permanent revocation of his driver’s license, according to the LTO.

Meanwhile, the registered owner of the KIA Rio complied with the order of the LTO to explain through a notarized affidavit and a Deed of Sale that the vehicle was already sold to the son of Gonzales, the agency said.

The LTO-NCR earlier sent an SCO to the registered owner of the KIA Rio for cases of violations of Section 28 (Reckless Driving) and Section 48 (Improper Person to Operate a Motor Vehicle) of RA 4136.

In the viral video, Gonzales was seen pulling out a gun during an altercation after the cyclist’s bicycle hit the former policeman’s vehicle.

According to the Quezon City Police District (QCPD), the altercation between Gonzales and the cyclist happened on August 8 but the viral video of the incident surfaced on social media on August 27.

The former cop surrendered to authorities on Sunday afternoon.

Then-QCPD chief Police Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III earlier said Gonzales had surrendered his gun and car and these were taken into custody by the authorities.

Torre subsequently resigned as QCPD chief to give way to the investigation into the road rage incident.

At a press briefing on Sunday, Gonzales said he and the cyclist went to a police station following the incident and settled their differences.

Lawyer Raymond Fortun, however, said that the cyclist was forced into an agreement admitting that the incident was his fault and was told to pay P500 for the damage to Gonzales’ car.

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte on Monday ordered an investigation on how the QCPD handled the case.—AOL, GMA Integrated News