LTO upholds license revocation in deadly Cabatuan crash

By Gerome Dalipe

A 20-year-old driver involved in a fatal road crash that killed three women in Cabatuan, Iloilo, will remain off the road for the next four years after the Land Transportation Office (LTO) upheld the revocation of his driver’s license.

LTO Chief Assistant Secretary Markus V. Lacanilao affirmed the recommendation of LTO Region 6, stressing that the penalty was based on substantial evidence and existing transportation laws on reckless driving and road safety.

The ruling affirmed the earlier recommendation of LTO-6 Regional Director Atty. Gaudioso P. Geduspan II, who found the motorist administratively liable for reckless driving that resulted in multiple fatalities.

In addition to the four-year license revocation, the driver was ordered to pay a PHP 2,010 fine and surrender his driver’s license through LTO Region 6 to the Intelligence and Investigation Division of the LTO Central Office.

The revocation period will officially begin once the license is surrendered.

The case stemmed from a crash that occurred around 7:05 a.m. on June 14 in Barangay Pungtod, Cabatuan.

The victims were Alberta P. Colomeda, 72, and Felisidad M. Maderse, 58, both of Cabatuan, and Hayde L. Laso, 59, of Lambunao.

Police investigators said Colomeda and Maderse were walking, while Laso was collecting recyclable plastic bottles along the roadside when the vehicle suddenly veered and hit them.

All three were rushed to Ramon Tabiana Memorial District Hospital but were declared dead on arrival.

The driver, a resident of Maasin, Iloilo, admitted that he had fallen asleep behind the wheel while driving home from Pavia.

Although he attempted to regain control of the vehicle, he was unable to prevent the collision.

In sustaining the penalty, Lacanilao emphasized that motorists bear a serious responsibility every time they get behind the wheel and that negligence resulting in the loss of lives cannot be taken lightly.

The LTO chief also warned that if the driver is caught operating a motor vehicle during the revocation period, he could face further sanctions for driving without a valid license, while the vehicle involved may be impounded.

For his part, Geduspan said the decision reinforces the agency’s continuing campaign for road safety and accountability.

He said the ruling sends a clear message that reckless and irresponsible driving carries serious consequences, especially when innocent lives are lost.

The LTO, an agency under the Department of Transportation, is tasked with driver licensing, motor vehicle registration, and enforcement of land transportation laws and regulations.