MANILA, Philippines – The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has issued a show cause order against the driver of a sport-utility vehicle (SUV) who sideswiped and injured an Angkas rider and his passenger.

The show cause order was issued to 53-year-old Pedro Neffe Magalit III, the driver of the SUV, and received on Thursday afternoon, November 23. According to a copy of the order obtained by Rappler, Magalit was directed to explain why he should not be held liable for Section 48 (reckless driving), Section 55 (duty of driver in case of accident), and Section 27-a (improper person to operate a motor vehicle) of R.A. No. 4136.

The show cause order also placed Magalit’s driver’s license and the registration of the Suzuki Wagon on preventive suspension for 90 days.

LTO chief Vigor Mendoza II said the show cause order will be issued to 53-year-old Pedro Magalit III, the driver of the SUV, by Thursday morning, November 23. The agency can revoke his driver’s license depending on the outcome of the investigation.

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Dashcam footage shows Magalit, the driver of an orange Suzuki Wagon, arguing with a motorcycle taxi driver along EDSA in Mandaluyong City on Wednesday morning, November 22. A few seconds later, the SUV swerved and slammed into the motorcycle, throwing the motorcycle driver and his passenger to the ground.  The Suzuki Wagon immediately sped off. 

“Siguro noong nasingitan ko siya, medyo nag-iba timpla niya. Natural naman, pero hindi ko naman siya nasagi,” said motorcycle driver Renz Tesoro in a Radyo 630 Teleradyo Serbisyo interview. “Tapos may bumubusina sa akin sa likod. Noong nakatapat na siya sa akin, may naririnig akong nagmumura.”

(Maybe when I cut him off, his mood changed. That’s natural, but I didn’t hit his car. Then I heard someone blowing their horn behind me. When he got beside me, I heard him cursing.)

The SUV driver is already in police custody. The passenger was reportedly still in a hospital as of Thursday morning. Based on the circumstances, Mandaluyong police intends to file charges of attempted murder against Magalit.

A show cause order was also issued to Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank), given that the vehicle, based on the registration record, is owned by the bank. UnionBank confirmed to Rappler that the vehicle is under a car plan lease for bank officers. Magalit, the vehicle’s driver, is the husband of a bank employee who was also on board the vehicle at the time of the incident.

Angkas chief executive officer George Royeca also spoke out after dashcam footage of the incident began circulating on social media.

“Walang lugar sa daan para sa mga katulad nito (There’s no place on the road for people like this),” he said in a Facebook post on Wednesday, November 22.

This isn’t the first time a road rage incident went viral on social media. Earlier in August 2023, a viral video also showed ex-cop Wilfredo Gonzales drawing a gun on an unarmed cyclist. Days later, another policeman and a motorcycle rider posing as military personnel got into another road rage incident.

In the wake of these incidents, lawmakers have filed a measure seeking heavier penalties on motorists caught up in road rage. (READ: Law authorizing gov’t to go after road rage drivers on victims’ behalf sought) – Rappler.com