LTO-6 revokes license after fatal Cabatuan crash

By Gerome Dalipe

A pickup truck driver involved in a fatal road crash in Cabatuan, Iloilo, may lose his driver’s license for four years after the Land Transportation Office in Western Visayas found that his reckless maneuver directly led to the death of a motorcycle rider.

The case stemmed from a collision in Barangay Talanghauan on April 30, 2025, which claimed the life of a 44-year-old rider from Barangay Calayo, Cabatuan.

The rider died while undergoing treatment at a hospital.

At the center of the investigation is the 55-year-old driver of a Nissan Navara pickup truck.

After reviewing the findings of the agency’s Intelligence and Investigation Unit, LTO-6 Regional Director Gaudioso P. Geduspan II approved the recommendation to revoke the driver’s license for four years.

Geduspan renewed his reminder that driving carries consequences not only for drivers but also for everyone sharing the road.

“Driving is a privilege, not a right, and that privilege may be withdrawn when a motorist endangers public safety,” said Director Geduspan.

“When a driver’s actions place lives at risk and result in tragedy, accountability must follow. Road safety cannot be compromised,” he added.

Police investigators found that the pickup driver was heading toward Sta. Barbara when he attempted to make a U-turn from the shoulder of the national highway.

The maneuver placed the pickup directly in the path of the motorcycle, which was traveling toward the Cabatuan town proper and had the right of way.

Police said the victim sustained severe injuries to his left arm and leg.

Although the rider was wearing a helmet, his injuries proved fatal.

The IIU investigation found that the driver’s actions constituted reckless driving under Republic Act No. 4136, or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code, as well as Joint Administrative Order No. 2014-01.

Republic Act No. 4136 prohibits operating a motor vehicle on a highway recklessly or without reasonable caution, considering road and traffic conditions.

Joint Administrative Order No. 2014-01 sets fines and penalties for violations of land transportation laws, rules, and regulations, including reckless driving.

In its resolution, the IIU said video footage and police reports showed that the driver entered the highway from the road shoulder without first yielding to oncoming traffic.

Investigators noted that motorists making a U-turn have a clear responsibility to ensure the roadway is safe before proceeding.

“Failure to exercise reasonable caution while making a U-turn from the shoulder of a national highway constitutes reckless driving,” the resolution stated.

The investigation also established that the rider was lawfully traveling along the highway and had the right of way at the time of the crash.

As part of the administrative proceedings, the LTO issued a show cause order to the driver on March 24, 2026, directing him to explain why sanctions should not be imposed.

However, he failed to submit a response within the prescribed period, prompting the agency to resolve the case based on the available evidence.

After evaluating the circumstances, the IIU declared the pickup driver an “improper person” to operate motor vehicles, citing the gravity of the violation and its tragic consequences.

The IIU stressed that the loss of life resulting from a preventable traffic violation warranted firm administrative action, both to ensure accountability and to reinforce public safety on the roads.

Aside from the recommended four-year revocation of his driver’s license, the driver was ordered to pay the corresponding fine for reckless driving under Joint Administrative Order No. 2014-01.

The resolution further directed that his driver’s license records and the Nissan Navara be placed under alarm status to prevent any renewal, transfer, or unauthorized use during the sanction period.

The driver was also ordered to surrender his driver’s license to the LTO-6 Intelligence and Investigation Unit upon receipt of the resolution.