Manila, Philippines — The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has imposed a 90-day preventive suspension on the driver’s license of a motorist caught on video allegedly assaulting a man pushing a handcart while accompanied by his young daughter, pending the outcome of an official investigation.
LTO Chief Assistant Secretary Markus V. Lacanilao strongly condemned the incident, which circulated widely on social media and sparked public outrage. The video shows a driver of a white Toyota Hilux repeatedly striking the handcart driver on the head, as the man’s minor daughter cries nearby in visible distress.
According to the LTO, the confrontation reportedly began after the handcart allegedly made contact with the pickup truck. What followed, authorities said, was an act of violence that has no place on public roads.
In response, Lacanilao ordered the LTO’s Intelligence and Investigation Division (IID) to issue a Show Cause Order (SCO) against the driver, citing possible violations related to being an “improper person to operate a motor vehicle.” Alongside the SCO, the LTO enforced a 90-day preventive suspension of the driver’s license while the case is under review.
Under the order, both the driver and the registered owner of the Toyota Hilux are required to submit notarized explanations detailing their side of the incident. The LTO warned that failure to comply or appear at scheduled hearings could result in the forfeiture of their right to be heard and may lead to harsher penalties, including permanent revocation of the driver’s license.
“The agency will not tolerate this kind of behavior on our roads,” Lacanilao said in a statement. “If the allegations shown in the video are true, the driver must be held accountable. We assure the public that justice will be pursued in this case.”
The investigation remains ongoing as the LTO reviews the circumstances surrounding the incident and determines the appropriate administrative sanctions.
