LTO summons colorum driver who refused to bring passengers to drop-off point

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has issued a show cause order (SCO) against the driver of a Toyota Avanza who initially agreed to bring his passengers from Camarines Sur to North Caloocan but did not fulfill his end of the deal and even asked for additional fees.

In a statement on Sunday, the LTO said it also imposed a 90-day preventive suspension on the driver’s license of the motorist, who allegedly used the private vehicle for colorum operations.

The issuance of the SCO was based on a viral post on the “Byaheng Manila to Bicol Door to Door” Facebook page, in which a woman and her children rode a Toyota Avanza from the Goa Terminal in Camarines Sur with North Caloocan as the destination.

The passengers and the driver of the Toyota Avanza initially agreed on a P2,000 fare to bring them to their home in North Caloocan, but the driver dropped them off in Cubao, Quezon City and even asked for an additional fee.

The driver allegedly claimed that the drop-off point was not part of their earlier agreement.

The LTO said the Toyota Avanza turned out to be a private vehicle which was used in the colorum operation without the needed permit from authorities.

“Ang mga ganitong insidente ay nakakasira sa tiwala ng publiko at labag sa mga patakaran para protektahan ang mga pasahero. Ang colorum na pagbibiyahe, dagdag na singil, at pagtanggi na tapusin ang serbisyo ay hindi makakalusot sa ating mga operasyon,” said LTO chief and Assistant Secretary Markus Lacanilao.

(These incidents destroy the public’s trust and violate rules that are meant to protect passengers. Colorum operations, additional charges, and refusing to fulfill services will not be allowed.)

“Hinihikayat ko ang mga pasahero na ireport agad ang mga ganitong pang-aabuso,” he added.

(I encourage passengers to immediately report these kinds of abuses.)

Lacanilao ordered the issuance of the SCO against the driver and owner of the Toyota Avanza.

They were directed to submit a sworn statement to the LTO – Intelligence and Investigation Division (IID) and present themselves to the said office on Jan. 12, 2026 to explain why they should not be sanctioned for their alleged acts.

The driver and owner of the vehicle should explain the refusal to bring the passengers to the destination they initially agreed on, as well as the reason for the additional charges without prior discussion.

“Bukod dito, kailangan nilang ipaliwanag kung bakit ginamit ang pribadong sasakyan para sa pagbibiyahe nang walang pahintulot mula sa LTFRB – isang paglabag sa batas na kilala bilang colorum,” the LTO said.

(Aside from this, they should also explain why they used a private vehicle for public conveyance without a permit from the LTFRB [Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board] – a violation of the law known as colorum.)

In addition, the driver should also explain why his driver’s license should not be suspended or canceled for being an improper person to operate a motor vehicle if he is found to have committed violations.

The respondents were also ordered to bring all documents relevant to the vehicle, which was placed under an LTO alarm to prevent any transactions involving it.

The LTO said the respondents will be considered to have waived their right to explain their side if they do not show up or submit a sworn explanation, and that the case will be resolved based on available evidence. — JMA, GMA Integrated News