Assault on MMDA traffic aide: LTO poised to void license of driver

MANILA, Philippines - The Land Transportation Office (LTO) will soon revoke the driver’s license of Philip Morris executive Robert Blair Carabuena, who was caught on video berating and slapping a Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) traffic enforcer.

Lawyer Teofilo Guadiz III, LTO-National Capital Region director, said they have requested Yves Gonzales, the head of the MMDA Traffic Discipline Office, for a copy of the complaint filed by traffic enforcer Saturnino Fabros.

Guadiz said they would also need footage from the TV-5 news team that took the video last Saturday to start the process to revoke Carabuena’s license.

“The LTO-NCR will see to it that motorists like Robert Carabuena would never drive in the streets of Metro Manila. Carabuena has the making of another Rolito Go,” said Guadiz, citing the case of Go who shot dead Eldon Maguan in a road rage incident in 1991 in San Juan.

Guadiz said they will request Carabuena to answer the complaint and after receiving his reply, the LTO-NCR could issue an order suspending or revoking the license of Carabuena.

“The law provides that if a traffic violation was committed and the driver or offender assaults the person in authority who is enforcing the law, his license might be revoked or confiscated,” Guadiz said.

In the meantime, the LTO-NCR said it might provisionally suspend the driving privileges of Carabuena pending the results of the investigation.