LTO temporarily suspends license of SUV driver in NAIA crash

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has preventively suspended for 90 days the driver’s license of the motorist behind the fatal crash of an SUV into the departure area of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 on Sunday.

LTO chief Vigor Mendoza II said a show cause order has also been issued against the registered owner of the vehicle and the driver.

“We already issued an SCO asking both the registered owner and the driver to appear before our office and explain the incident as part of our investigation,” Mendoza said in a statement.

Two people, a male adult and a female child, were killed when a black Ford Everest rammed into the outer railing and into the walkway near the terminal entrance of NAIA Terminal 1 this morning. Several other individuals sustained injuries following the accident.

Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon earlier confirmed that the driver has already been placed under the custody of the police.

Citing a report, the LTO said that the driver told the police that he was about to leave the departure area of NAIA after sending off a passenger when another vehicle suddenly passed in front of him.

“This sent him to panic and instead of the brakes, he stepped on the gas pedal. As a result, two people died and three others were injured,” the agency noted.

The LTO said it will conduct its own investigation into the matter to look into all the circumstances that led to the accident.

Hospitals ready

Meanwhile, the Department of Health (DOH) said it is ensuring that emergency services and hospitals near the incident are responding to casualties.

“Sinigurado po natin ayon na rin sa kagustuhan ni Pangulong Marcos na tatanggapin ng ospital ng DOH ang sinumang biktima ng banggaan,” Health Secretary Ted Herbosa said in a statement.

(In accordance with President Marcos’ orders, we’re ensuring that DOH hospitals will accept all victims of the accident.)

The DOH said that two patients were already taken to a nearby private hospital for emergency management, and they will be transferred to another private facility for further trauma care.

Both hospitals are funded by the DOH Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) program. —KG, GMA Integrated News