LTO chief defends decision to clear Carabuena

MANILA, Philippines - There is nothing irregular in the Land Transportation Office’s decision not to revoke the license of Robert Blair Carabuena, LTO chief Virginia Torres said yesterday.

Torres maintained the complaint filed by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) against Carabuena was for assaulting traffic constable Saturnino Fabros.

“That’s a criminal offense that should be under a criminal court. Ours is only administrative in nature. If the court decides against Carabuena (in the separate assault case) and we’re told by the court to revoke his license, we will do so,” Torres told The STAR in an interview.

“The (MMDA) complaint never mentioned of any violation of traffic rules,” she added.

Torres was reacting to a statement made by LTO-Region 1 director Teofilo Guadiz III that the agency may have erred in not revoking Carabuena’s license.

Guadiz, former director of the LTO-National Capital Region, earlier ordered Carabuena’s license suspended in September 2012. It was before Guadiz’s office that the MMDA first filed the complaint against Carabuena until the complaint was transferred to the central office.

According to Torres, the complaint for assault was not covered by the grounds for revocation of the license.

“It was seen in the video that he (Carabuena) assaulted Fabros. But what led to that?” she said.

Torres added that the complaint for assault did not make Carabuena “unfit” nor “improper” to carry a license.

She explained that someone is “unfit” to carry a license if he or she has a medical condition that prevents the person from driving. Someone is deemed “improper” to drive certain vehicles under conditions set forth in the license, Torres said.