By Jennifer P. Rendon
The Land Transportation Office (LTO) Region 6 will summon the parents of minors involved in road crashes, holding them accountable under existing laws.
LTO-6 Regional Director Atty. Gaudioso Geduspan II said the agency will first issue a show cause order to the parents of two teenagers who recently died while driving a motorcycle in Iloilo province.
“We are still gathering information from the concerned police station to determine what happened and to help identify the parents of the fatalities,” Geduspan said.
He added that the LTO will allow time for the families to grieve before sending the show cause order, likely a week after the interment.
Geduspan cited Republic Act 7610, or the Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act, as a possible basis for holding parents liable.
“We will look into the possibility that, due to parental neglect, they have endangered the lives of their children,” he said.
If the investigation finds negligence on the parents’ part, they could face legal consequences, including imprisonment.
Geduspan’s statement follows two road crashes on Feb. 16 in San Dionisio and San Miguel, both involving 15-year-old motorcycle drivers.
He stressed that the LTO will also hold parents accountable if their minor children cause property damage, injuries, or fatalities in road crashes.
“They will be liable for what their minor child did,” he said.
However, Geduspan clarified that the objective is not to punish parents but to deter similar incidents and emphasize their responsibility in guiding adolescent children.
“We are doing this to remind parents of their duty to supervise their children and prevent future accidents,” he said.
Geduspan noted that unlicensed teenage drivers, particularly in rural areas, are frequently involved in vehicular accidents.
“In many rural areas, it has become common for high school students to drive without a license, and most of them are not even wearing helmets,” he said.
Under the law, a student driver’s license may be issued to applicants as young as 16, while a non-professional driver’s license can be secured at 17.
