LTO summons motorcycle owners in Bulacan drag race

Show cause orders have been issued to the owners of the 19 motorcycles involved in the illegal racing along a bypass road in San Rafael, Bulacan, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) said Thursday.

In a statement, the LTO said the registered owners of the motorcycles were asked to appear at the agency’s central office in Quezon City on August 27.

“Failure to appear and submit the written comment/explanation as required shall be construed by this Office as a waiver of your rights to be heard, and the case shall be decided based on the evidence at hand,” the show cause orders read.

LTO said it is planning to file charges for violations of duty to have a license, reckless driving, failure to wear a protective helmet, driving a motor vehicle without a license plate, and improper person to operate a motor vehicle.

According to the LTO, the concerned motorcycles have already been impounded.

Citing the police, the LTO said the involved riders performed exhibitions without helmets, driver’s licenses, and plate numbers.

LTO chief Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza expressed ire over the involvement of at least 12 minors as young as seven years old in the motorcycle drag racing.

A total of 12 people were arrested, while 12 minors aged seven to 16 were held as a result of the operation on the Mabalas-Balas - Galas-Maasim Bypass Road on August 17.

The LTO said, citing a police report, one of the fleeing riders hit a minor while on his way to escape from authorities.

“Bukod sa pagkarera sa isang public road kung saan may mga dumadaan na mga four-wheel vehicles, nalaman natin na may mga motorcycle exhibition pang ginagawa ang mga taong ito, kasama nung mga bata,” Mendoza said.

(Apart from racing on a public road where there are four-wheel vehicles passing by, we learned that these people are also holding motorcycle exhibitions, including with children.)

“Hindi natin palalampasin ito, lalo pa at isinagawa ng operasyon dahil may aksidenteng nangyari dun at may naaksidente pa silang bata nung tumatakas sila para makaiwas sa mga pulis,” he added.

(We cannot ignore this, especially since the operation was conducted because an accident occurred there and a child was also injured when they were fleeing from the police.) —VAL, GMA Integrated News