Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon ordered on Saturday the immediate preventive suspension of Land Transportation Office (LTO) personnel involved in the arrest of a motorcycle rider that sparked public outrage in Panglao, Bohol.
The incident happened in Barangay Tawala was posted on social media Friday and quickly gained attention as the LTO enforcers appeared to have responded violently. The man reportedly held a knife and identified himself as a farmer.
Dizon, in his order, said the LTO personnel will remain suspended pending the result of a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances surrounding the event.
“Secretary Dizon had dispatched Assistant Secretary for Road Transport Retired Col. Jojo Reyes earlier today (Saturday) to gather all relevant information and provide immediate recommendations to the Secretary in the next 24 hours,” the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said in a statement.
LTO Chief Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II said he has instructed LTO Central Visayas Director Glen Galario and all personnel involved to cooperate with the ongoing investigation.
“My instruction is to finish the investigation in the soonest possible time in order to ferret out the truth, determine if there [were] any lapses, and punish those who would be found liable,” Mendoza said in his own statement.
Galario addressed the issue, expressing “regrets” over the “distressing nature of the incident.” He also apologized on behalf of the LTO enforcers involved—at least five of them were shown in the video.
“The safety of both the public and our personnel remains a top priority, and we are committed to maintaining law and order,” Galario said.