Abusive motorists get ire of Duterte anew; seeks severe penalties for violators

Davao City – Speaking in his weekly Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa television program Vice-Mayor Rodrigo Duterte lambasted drivers of both private and public utility vehicles for utter disregard of existing laws on traffic and suggested to both Land Transportation Office (LTO) and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) higher penalties not to exclude suspension or revocation of a driver’s license even for first time offenders.

“Kanang first offense, second offense, mao nay pangpagara” Duterte said referring to a proviso in the law which gradually increases the administrative fine for habitual traffic law violators.

Potential victims of reckless drivers which Duterte specified are mostly children, women and the elderly who exposed themselves to danger of being bumped by rushing motorists.

“Kanang tao nga naglabang nga naa na diha sa pedestrian (lane), mo para gyud (ang sakyanan) para sila palabangon” (vehicles should come to a complete stop giving way for pedestrians).

Duterte considered it as a flagrant abuse for motorists not to heed laws for pedestrians. “It is not negligence or accident, it is really done with malice”, he said.

Duterte contemplated for the creation of an office in Central 911 that will exclusively receive complaints related to abuses committed by drivers. “Magbutang ug desk (in Central 911) para didto na mo mag storya”, he said.

Duterte said that the speed limit allowed by law for motor vehicles in the city’s major thoroughfares is only 40 kilometers per hour. Complaints have reached him on the resurgence of “uso-uso” (jeepneys with features of death-defying speed) plying the routes of Calinan and Toril.

Pointing at LTO’s discretion to revoke driver’s license, Duterte hinted on taking away the privilege to drive even for first time violators.

“I will recommend for the meantime nga kanang mga offenses because of the many abuses, total naa man sa discretion sa LTO, at first instance pakngon na lang daan it’s either you revoke or you suspend. Dili lang suspension as there is a possibility of reinstating the privilege to drive. They should be permanently prohibited from driving motor vehicles and I will see to it nga ing ana ang mahitabo sa davao”, Duterte said. (CIO-Roldan G. Gorgonio)