THE Land Transportation Office has identified the driver of a sport utility vehicle (SUV) involved in a “road rage” incident at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, and has preventively suspended her license for 90 days.
LTO chief Vigor Mendoza said the SUV driver was a female resident of Morong, Bataan, while the SUV was registered to a female resident of Makati City.
Mendoza did not disclose their names.
The LTO has directed the SUV driver and the owner to submit their notarized affidavit with their explanation. They were also directed to appear in the ongoing investigation of the LTO-Region 3 into the incident.
The show cause order against them stated that non-filing or late submission of their answer is deemed an admission of the allegations.
Mendoza vowed to keep a close watch on this case.
“Personal kong tututukan ang kasong ito dahil ang ganitong asal ay hindi gawain ng isang matinong motorista,” he said.
The Subic incident went viral after being caught on video.
The video showed the SUV, a black Toyota Fortuner, hitting a Hyundai Eon and chasing its passengers who had alighted from the vehicle, a senior citizen and a younger woman.
An ABS-CBN report said the Hyundai Eon was being driven by a lawyer, who was accompanied by his assistant. The assistant was quoted as saying that the Fortuner driver was a former client of the lawyer.
The LTO said its initial investigation, based on its coordination with the local police, showed that the Hyundai Eon was traveling along Binictican Road within the vicinity of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone when the driver of the Fortuner tried to overtake it.
The Fortuner then allegedly repeatedly hit the Hyundai Eon using the reverse gear, while the passengers were still onboard.
The video also showed the passengers alighting from the Hyundai Eon, and the Fortuner making a U-turn and trying to chase them.
The Fortuner driver later sped off
Mendoza said the LTO probe is separate from the investigation being conducted by the police, who are checking if it is an incident of frustrated homicide.
