By Joseph Bernard A. Marzan
Land Transportation Office-Western Visayas Director Gaudioso Geduspan said Saturday, July 5, that a recent sanction on a driver in Iloilo City should serve as a reminder of proper road conduct and engagement with authorities.
In an interview with Aksyon Radyo Iloilo, Geduspan discussed a July 4 recommendation by the LTO-6 Intelligence and Investigation Unit directing Pearl Labto to attend a Driver’s Reorientation Seminar.
The seminar will be conducted by the Traffic Safety Unit.
The recommendation stemmed from a May 30 complaint filed by Iloilo City Traffic and Transportation Management Office Vice Chairperson Uldarico Garbanzos.
According to a July 4 memo by Intelligence and Investigation Unit Head Shiela Mae Alulod, Labto confronted a traffic officer for more than three hours over an alleged swerving violation in Barangay Tabucan, Mandurriao on April 22.
The altercation was recorded on video and posted on social media.
Geduspan said Labto must comply with the half-day course, which aims to reinforce proper behavior when dealing with law enforcement.
The session will be scheduled once the LTO-6 formally serves the notice, though no specific timetable was given.
“What happened here reflects an uncooperative attitude, which we believe is inconsistent with what’s expected from a responsible motorist,” Geduspan said.
He clarified that the action is not meant to condemn Labto but to remind all motorists of proper road conduct.
“We are not condemning her [Labto], because we’re not perfect either. Maybe she was just shocked that she was flagged down, and maybe she thought that being flagged down was a mistake. That’s why we need to step in to reorient our motorists, like our subject,” he said.
He reminded the public to respect law enforcers at all times and to follow traffic rules.
“We are expecting our motorists to be respectful to authorities at all times. Of course, we may sometimes feel that law enforcement personnel may be wrong in appreciating [the rules], but that does not give us a reason to disrespect them,” the regional director said.
“Like [Labto’s] incident, hours of standoff, it’s embarrassing for both the motorist and the law enforcement personnel. This is the authority implementing road rules,” he added.
