Road rage doctor may lose driver's license, LTO exec says

MANILA, Philippines— A Land Transportation Office official on Tuesday said that a doctor caught on video shouting and cursing at another motorist may lose his driver’s license. 

Roberto Valera, deputy director of the LTO’s Law Enforcement Services, said Dr. Tomas Joaquin Mendez may have his license suspended for three months to a year or have his license revoked altogether.

Valera explained that Mendez’s sanction would depend on the investigation into the case. He stressed that the suspect would undergo due process before the LTO.

“So depende po ‘yan sa kung gaano kalaki ang violation na na-commit niya (It depends on how grave his violation was),” Valera said in an interview with News5’s "Raffy Tulfo in Action".

On Monday, the Department of Transportation said the LTO had already taken steps to issue Mendez a show-cause order to explain his actions.

A recent video that circulated online showed the heated exchange between Mendez and a driver of an L300 as well as his wife, later on identified as spouses Santiago and Merly Paredes.

In an interview with "Raffy Tulfo in Action", the couple claimed Mendez, who was driving a black Fortuner, threw something at their vehicle, scaring their child. The video also showed Mendez shouting and cursing them.

The DOTr condemned this behavior of Mendez.

Meanwhile, the video posted by online user Fran Rusti earlier indicated that Mendez is a doctor of St. Luke’s Medical Center.

Rusti also posted a video of Mendez being involved in another road rage incident.

'Road rage suspect not connected with St. Luke's'

For its part, the SLMC issued a statement clarifying that the alleged road rage suspect is not connected with any of their hospital and any company affiliated with them.

“Upon checking our records, Dr. Mendez was a former ENT resident trainee and was never a part of St. Luke’s roster of practicing physicians,” the hospital management said in a statement.

“Recognized as the leading and most respected healthcare institution in the Philippines, St. Luke’s will never condone this type of behavior,” it added.

The DOTr also earlier sought help from the Professional Regulation Commission and the Philippine Medical Association to act on Mendez’s uncalled for behavior.

RELATED: DOTr seeks help of medical association, professional regulatory body after doctor's road rage