LTO Places Driver Under 90-Day Preventive Suspension After Viral Road Rage Video in Manila
The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has suspended the driver’s license of a motorist who was caught on video allegedly hitting a motorcycle rider with a baseball bat on Mabini Bridge (Nagtahan) in Manila.
According to an INQUIRER.net report published at 11:41 a.m. on Saturday, November 7, 2026, the road rage incident happened on November 4. The video showed the driver striking the rider with the bat while the two were arguing in the middle of the road, disrupting the flow of traffic.
In a statement on Friday, the LTO said the driver’s license was placed under a 90-day preventive suspension and he was ordered to surrender it to the agency’s Intelligence and Investigation Division (IID). The vehicle was also placed under alarm while the investigation is ongoing.
The agency also noticed a discrepancy in the vehicle’s records. It was registered as pearl-colored, but the car seen in the video was blue. Its last registration was on August 23, 2019.
The driver and the registered owner were directed to appear before the IID at the LTO Central Office in Quezon City on November 12 and to submit sworn explanations. The owner must explain possible liability for unauthorized vehicle modification and failure to register the vehicle, while the driver must answer allegations of obstruction and being an improper person to operate a motor vehicle.
Speaking to GMA News in a “24 Oras” report, LTO chief Assistant Secretary Markus Lacanilao warned that the driver’s license could be permanently revoked. “Itong ganito, mabigat ‘yung kasalanan niya. Maaaring ma-revoke ‘to, perpetual,” he said. (This is a serious offense. It may be revoked permanently.)
Lacanilao said the driver will still be held accountable regardless of who started the argument. He advised motorists not to step out of their vehicles during disputes and to document the incident instead so it can be reported to the LTO.
“Violence should never be used to settle disagreements on the road. Every motorist has a responsibility to remain disciplined and calm in any situation,” Lacanilao said in the LTO statement.
Based on GMA News’ report, the Manila Police District and the local barangay said no formal complaint has been filed over the incident yet, and the LTO urged the rider to file one. LTO data also showed 103 viral road rage incidents recorded from October 2025 to November 6, 2026.
READ ALSO: Motorcycle Rider Attacks Car Driver w/ Baseball Bat Amid Road Rage
