Citing possible reckless driving, LTO-7 suspends Dumanjug mayor’s license

Local

DUMANJUG Mayor Efren ‘Gungun’ Gica’s driver license has been suspended after being caught counterflowing on a national highway and colliding with a van in Minglanilla, Cebu, video of which went viral on social media.

In a statement, the Land Transportation Office in Central Visayas (LTO-7) has placed Gica’s driver's license under a 90-day preventive suspension.

At the same time, they summoned the mayor to explain why he should not be charged for violations of the Land Transportation and Traffic Code.

Among them, reckless driving, operating a motor vehicle without displaying the prescribed number plate, and being an improper person to operate a motor vehicle, among other administrative offenses.

Likewise, Gica has been directed to personally appear before the LTO-7 Operations Division within five days of receiving the order and to submit a sworn written explanation with supporting evidence.

"Regardless of one's position or status, every motorist is equally accountable under the law, while every respondent is afforded full due process before any final administrative action is taken," Wendel Dinglasan, director of LTO-7 said.

Gica, in a statement, took full responsibility for the crash.

"I make no excuses. I was wrong, and I take full accountability for what happened," he said.

Furthermore, the mayor vowed that he will cooperate with the authorities and ‘accept any legal penalties, sanctions, and consequences that may arise.’

“I am committed to shouldering all damages and making full restitution without delay,” added Gica.

On July 19, Gica was traversing the northbound lane of the national highway along Brgy. Pakigne in Minglanilla, Cebu when he counterflowed and struck a Toyota Hi-Ace van that was executing a U-turn at a designated slot.

Dashcam footage from a concerned netizen immediately went viral, with police and enforcers from the LTO-7 eventually confirming that the motorcycle rider had been Gica.

They also discovered that the mayor's motorcycle had no license plate.

Meanwhile, Gica apologized to the van’s driver, identified as Vincent Lacuña and the van's owner for the damage caused, and to his fellow members of the HPG Tigers, a motorcycle riders' group affiliated with the Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Group.

The crash should not be taken as a reflection of the organization, he added.

Lacuña and Gica had initially agreed to settle the matter privately and did not pursue a formal criminal complaint, before the video's circulation prompted LTO-7 to take administrative action.

Gica, who has served as Dumanjug mayor for several terms, has previously drawn public attention for aggressive anti-crime campaigns targeting drug offenders and child abuse suspects in his town.(RBE)