By Raymond Carl Dela Cruz | Philippine News Agency
The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has revoked the license of the driver involved in the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) crash that killed two people on May 4.
In a five-page decision signed by the LTO chief ASec. Vigor Mendoza II, the black sports utility vehicle (SUV) driver from Batangas was found guilty of reckless driving, fined P2,000, and had his license revoked for four years.
The decision read, “Applying the above-mentioned provisions and jurisprudence to the facts of the case, the respondent-driver committed reckless driving that endangers the property or the safety or rights of the victim, given the gravity of his actions.”
In a statement on Friday, Mendoza said the fine and license revocation are the maximum penalty allowed by the law for an improper person to operate a motor vehicle.
The decision was made after the driver did not submit any statement to defend himself or explain his side on the charges of reckless driving and being an improper person to operate a motor vehicle.
He reminded motorists that driving is “not a right but a privilege” that can be revoked in cases of violations of the existing laws and road safety rules and regulations.
Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon said in an interview, his office will assist the families of the two victims in the NAIA crash in filing civil cases against the driver, “Hindi po natin sila iiwan, tuloy-tuloy po tayo.”
The victims of the NAIA tragedy were a 4 year-old girl and daughter of an overseas Filipino worker from Lipa, Batangas, and a 29 year-old man from Hagonoy, Bulacan.
Autopsy showed the man died due to blunt force trauma to the head and spinal cord, while the girl also died of blunt force trauma to the head and left lower extremities.
