LTO to further probe Mandaluyong car pileup

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) announced that it will further its probe into the car pileup incident in Mandaluyong.

According to the agency, it will intensify the investigation to determine which of the two drivers in the sport utility vehicle (SUV) was driving the automobile.

Dominador Braga, one of the alleged drivers in the SUV, was unable to make an appearance after being summoned by the LTO as he is still in the custody of Mandaluyong City Police, said LTO Intelligence and Investigation Division (IID) officer-in-charge Renan Melitante.

Similarly, the other — 19-year-old — alleged driver did not make an appearance. Instead, the driver’s father, who is also the driver’s attorney, attended the IID and surrendered the drivers license. He denied that his child was driving the SUV.

To note, the LTO suspended the license of both drivers for 90 days. Because of the incident, not more than 10 vehicles were damaged and 13 individuals were injured.

Melitante stated that the LTO still cannot identify who was behind the wheel when the accident happened, at least not until they have talked to Braga.

Further, the agency scheduled the IID hearing for January 30, 2023, at the LTO Central Office, East Avenue, Quezon City.

“Ang insidenteng ito ang isa sa mga mabigat na dahilan kaya't ninanais ng LTO na walang mangyaring shortcut sa pagkuha ng driver's license. Dapat dumaraan sa tamang proseso para siguradong karapat-dapat na mabigyan ng lisensya dahil buhay ng tao ang malalagay sa alanganin. (This incident is one of the pressing reasons why the LTO wants to eliminate shortcuts in acquiring a driver’s license. One must to undergo the right process to ensure that one is deserving to be given a license as lives can be jeopardized),” said LTO Chief Assistant Secretary Jose Arturo Tugade.

Photos from Land Transportation Office — Philippines Facebook Page

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