LTO ruling on Carabuena out next month

MANILA, Philippines - The Land Transportation Office (LTO) is expected to decide in about a month on whether or not to sanction motorist Robert Blair Carabuena for assaulting a traffic enforcer.

Lawyer Teofilo Guadiz III, LTO-National Capital Region director, said there will no longer be hearings on the investigation on the complaint filed by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority against Carabuena, a Philip Morris executive.

“There will be no trial on the merits. Mr. Carabuena will however be asked to submit his counter-affidavit within 15 days,” Guadiz said in a recent interview.

He said Carabuena may be invited to shed light on his counter-affidavit, but “the affidavit and the counter-affidavit of the parties will suffice.”

Carabuena has been widely criticized after he assaulted MMDA traffic enforcer Saturnino Fabros.

The incident was caught on video, which has gone viral online.

According to Guadiz, the LTO – upon receipt of Carabuena’s counter-affidavit – will decide within 15 days whether to dismiss the complaint, issue a longer suspension of Carabuena’s license or completely revoke the executive’s driver’s license.

“Freedom of movement does not include the privilege to drive a motor vehicle,” Guadiz said.

“The act of allowing a person to drive is a privilege, which the state may revoke for a just cause,” he added.