LTO disqualifies mechanic over viral drag race video

By Gerome Dalipe IV

A midnight joyride that went viral has cost a 20-year-old mechanic his chance to obtain a driver’s license.

Viral footage showed the mechanic riding a motorcycle along the Sta. Barbara highway shortly after midnight on July 23, 2025, despite the bike being left at his shop for repairs on July 12.

LTO-6 investigators said the clip clearly identified the rider and captured his reckless maneuvers.

LTO-6 records showed the mechanic held only a student-driver’s permit and no valid license.

Under LTO rules, student-permit holders are prohibited from operating vehicles unsupervised, a restriction the investigation found was blatantly violated.

After reviewing the evidence, Investigation and Intelligence Unit Chief Shiela Mae recommended disciplinary action.

Regional Director Atty. Gaudioso P. Geduspan II approved the recommendation to suspend the student permit and disqualify the mechanic from applying for a driver’s license.

The motorcycle’s registered owner told LTO-6 officials he had left the vehicle at the shop for repairs and was not operating it.

Investigators concluded the mechanic took the bike without the owner’s knowledge or consent and rode it unsupervised.

LTO-6 cited Section 48 of Republic Act 4136, or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code, which prohibits reckless driving on public highways, as the legal basis for the sanction.

The agency said the combination of unauthorized use, unsupervised operation, and reckless behavior documented on video made the disciplinary action inevitable.

Geduspan warned that the case is a stark reminder that a split-second lapse in judgment — amplified by social media — can result in immediate administrative penalties and derail a young driver’s licensing path.