A former mayor who allegedly filmed a gas station attendant chasing his moving vehicle along Maharlika Highway in Allacapan, Cagayan for social media content is facing the permanent revocation of his driver’s license, the Land Transportation Office announced Monday.
LTO chief Asec. Markus Lacanilao, speaking to Super Radyo dzBB, identified the vlogger as a former local politician. “Dati daw siyang politiko, dating mayor,” he said, adding that the man’s vehicle will also be impounded and rendered unusable.
“Matanggalan siya ng lisensya habang buhay at saka ang sasakyan niya na maalarma at hindi na niya magamit,” Lacanilao said.
According to the LTO chief, the incident began when the ex-mayor’s group fueled up at a gas station and left without settling the bill. The pump attendant — described as an indigenous person — was then caught on video running after the vehicle in the midday heat, footage which the former mayor reportedly recorded from the passenger seat for his vlog. Lacanilao disclosed that the former mayor appeared to own the very gas station where the attendant worked.
“Yung pump attendant, hindi katanggap-tanggap na parang ginawa niyang laruan na pinahabol-habol niya sa kainitan ng araw, ay katutubo pa ang pump attendant. Hindi po laruan ang tao,” he said.
Lacanilao framed the incident as particularly egregious given the current economic climate. “Hindi katanggap-tanggap na gawing biro o content ang isang sitwasyong malinaw na naglalagay sa kapuwa sa panganib. Lalo na sa panahong nararanasan natin ang epekto ng pagtaas ng presyo ng langis, ang ganitong uri ng asal ay hindi lamang iresponsable, kundi nagpapapakita rin ng kawalan ng malasakit,” he said.
The LTO has issued a show cause order against the former mayor, the driver, and the vehicle’s registered owner, directing all three to explain why administrative cases — including reckless driving — should not be filed against them, and why they should not be declared unfit to operate a motor vehicle.
The driver’s license has been placed under a 90-day preventive suspension, and the driver has been ordered to surrender it to the LTO.
