LTO-6 acts on motorist’s Facebook rant

By Gerome Dalipe

A social media rant landed a motorist from Santa Barbara, Iloilo, in hot water after the Land Transportation Office (LTO)–Calinog District Office called him in for clarification over an allegedly “erroneous” apprehension.

The issue began when the motorist took to Facebook to complain that he was wrongly charged for a vehicle lighting violation.

His post, laced with local slang and a jab at the law enforcer, accused LTO-6 personnel of citing him for a plate light violation when, he said, it was the signal (stop) light that was defective.

Backed by LTO-6 Regional Director Atty. Gaudioso P. Geduspan II, LTO–Calinog District Office Chief Teocel M. Umadhay issued a summon citing the Facebook rant and directing the motorist to face LTO-6 officials for clarification.

During the meeting, Umadhay and Atty. Jehan U. Miranda, Public Utilities and Regulation Officer I, walked the motorist through the agency’s mandate and the proper channels for complaints, including the adjudication process that allows both the complainant and the enforcer to present evidence.

On Nov. 26, 2025, the motorist was apprehended and issued a Temporary Operator’s Permit (TOP) for a defective stop light.

He returned the following day to settle the PHP 5,000 fine but was overheard complaining that the citation was supposedly for a plate light. Since the violation was clearly indicated as “stop light” on the TOP, the matter was immediately endorsed to an adjudicator for proper clarification.

LTO-6 officials explained that the law enforcer who wrote the TOP informed the motorist that both stop lights were defective — a fact the motorist acknowledged by signing the TOP — yet he chose to pay the fine instead of pursuing adjudication.

After the meeting, the motorist acknowledged that he had misunderstood the violation explained by the law enforcer and expressed satisfaction with the clarification provided by LTO-6 officials.

Should motorists have questions on the legality of an apprehension, Director Geduspan emphasized that the proper step is to visit the LTO and seek adjudication, not vent frustrations on social media. Complaints are resolved through due process, he noted, not through posts or rants online.