City Transport and Traffic Management Office head Dionisio Abude stood pat in filing criminal charges and other traffic violations against the driver of a sedan who went viral for trying to mow down a traffic enforcer after he was flagged for a traffic violation outside a mall on J.P. Laurel Avenue, Davao City on Monday.
The incident was captured by a netizen who posted the video online.
The driver, identified as Ramil, a 42-year old resident of Roseville, Lanang Davao City, attended the initial hearing with officials of CTTMO, Land Transportation Office 11 (LTO 11), Traffic Enforcement Unit (TEU) and Sta. Ana Police Station at the CTTMO office in Matina on Tuesday.
The driver said he had no intention of hurting the traffic enforcer and fleeing away from his violation.
However, Abude said the video contradicted the driver’s claim.
According to Abude, the enforcer issued a statement saying he flagged down the vehicle after the driver took a shortcut on a road not intended for traffic along Torres Street.
The video showed Ramil was trying to evade even if the enforcer was already preventing his vehicle from moving forward.
Ramil told the media that his blood pressure shoot up and cited a medical emergency as the reason for trying to speed away.
Abude said the CTTMO will file appropriate charges against Ramil once the investigation and the gathering of evidence are done.
He said the driver may face a penalty for reckless driving under the Traffic Code, a criminal complaint for trying to harm the enforcer, and penalties for violating his driver’s license’s instruction, as issued by the LTO.
Abude said the LTO will issue a show-cause order and that the Sta. Ana Police station will investigate the matter further.
Abude reminded drivers that a traffic violation is not the same level as criminal violation and they can always question and contest the violation as claimed by enforcers.
“Dili mani criminal ang traffic violation kung dili tama pwede man ka mu-contest, in this case wala gyud siya nihunong,” he said.
