LTO Region 6 Acts Swiftly After Holy Week Crashes

By Gerome Dalipe

The Land Transportation Office Region 6 (LTO-6) has taken immediate administrative action following two major road accidents in Western Visayas during Holy Week that left multiple people dead and injured.

LTO-6 Regional Director Atty. Gaudioso Geduspan II issued separate show cause orders to the drivers involved in the incidents, which occurred in Bacolod City on Good Friday and in Miagao, Iloilo on Black Saturday.

On the night of April 18, a 37-year-old Indian national driving a Toyota Innova rammed into a Good Friday procession in Bacolod City, killing three devotees and injuring 17 others.

The driver tested positive for alcohol use following the crash.

“We issued a show cause order against the Indian national because he yielded a positive result in the alcohol test,” said Geduspan.

“This is a clear case of reckless driving. Given the fatalities and injuries, we are moving to revoke his license on the grounds that he is unfit to operate a motor vehicle,” he added.

LTO personnel from the Negros Occidental Licensing Center assisted local authorities in gathering evidence and eyewitness accounts.

The driver now faces administrative proceedings that could result in the permanent cancellation of his driver’s license.

On April 19, a privately owned jeepney carrying 36 passengers skidded off the road in Miagao, Iloilo, en route to San Joaquin.

While no fatalities were reported, seven passengers sustained fractures and several others suffered minor injuries.

Investigators found that the jeepney driver only had an expired student permit and was operating the vehicle without a valid license.

He was issued a show cause order and may be permanently disqualified from obtaining a license.

Geduspan condemned the unsafe practices involved in the incident.

“It was a reckless maneuver to allow passengers on the roof—without safety nets—and to let others cling to the back of the jeepney,” he said.

“We will pursue administrative proceedings that could permanently bar this driver from acquiring any future license,” he added.

LTO-6 also summoned the registered owner of the jeepney under the Registered Owner Rule, which holds owners accountable for accidents involving their vehicles operated by unauthorized individuals.

“The responsibility lies not just with the driver, but also with the owner who allowed an unlicensed person to take the wheel,” Geduspan said.

“Owners must ensure their vehicles are only operated by properly licensed drivers,” he added.

Both investigations are ongoing as LTO Region 6 intensifies road safety enforcement and licensing compliance in the region.

The actions are part of a broader directive from President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., with support from DOTr Secretary Vince Dizon and LTO Assistant Secretary Vigor D. Mendoza II.

The incidents occurred during the agency’s nationwide safety campaign “Oplan Biyaheng Ayos: Semana Santa and Summer Vacation 2025.”

The campaign is led by Geduspan and Assistant Regional Director Jeck D. Conlu, with operational coordination by Regional Law Enforcement Section chief Relin B. Reyes.

It aims to protect commuters during peak travel seasons and reinforce accountability among both public and private motorists.