A farmer in Panglao, Bohol, was forcibly pulled off his motorcycle and arrested by Land Transportation Office (LTO) personnel after they found him carrying a knife used for farming. The incident, captured in a viral video, has sparked outrage and calls for an investigation.
The video shows the man lying on his motorcycle as LTO Region 7 officers apprehend him in Barangay Tawala on Friday morning. When they discovered the knife, they dragged him off the bike and repeatedly questioned him about why he was carrying it.
In a GMA Regional TV report, the man was later identified as the elder brother of former Panglao vice mayor Brian Velasco, who confirmed that his sibling had just returned from their farm in Barangay Bolod.
“He was just sitting there when they suddenly punched and dragged him down. He didn’t resist. My brother is a farmer—he carries a knife because he just came from harvesting,” Velasco said, criticizing the way the arrest was handled.
Velasco’s family has questioned the legality of the arrest and is preparing to file a case against the involved LTO personnel.
Following the public outcry, Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon ordered the preventive suspension of all LTO personnel involved in the incident. The LTO Region 7 has also suspended all law enforcement operations in Bohol while a full investigation is conducted.
“The individual involved is currently in police custody, and appropriate charges are being prepared against him,” LTO Region 7 Director Glen Galario said. However, the agency did not specify the exact reason for the arrest or the charges being filed.
The LTO has since apologized to the public, assuring that the investigation will be fair and transparent.
“We sincerely apologize for the distress caused by this incident… Rest assured, due process will be followed,” Galario said in a statement.
