Parents of minors caught driving in Lanao del Norte and Isabela have had their driver’s licenses suspended for allowing their children to operate a motor vehicle.
The move comes after videos of a boy driving a car on a national highway in Lanao del Norte went viral. A Facebook page that shared the clips also tagged the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to draw attention to the incidents.
There are at least two videos of the boy driving, with one dating back to March. The same Facebook page also shared a screengrab from a video of a girl driving.
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“Dumadami ang gumagawa, ano ‘yan, challenge? Land Transportation Office – Philippines,” the “Parkeserye” page wrote on Tuesday, December 2.
The video showed the girl driving in the rain in Echague, Isabela, increasing the risk of the situation.
The LTO confirmed it has suspended the driver’s licenses of the boy’s parents, who allowed him to operate a motor vehicle despite being underage.
The agency also issued a Show Cause Order (SCO) to the owner of the vehicle used in the incidents. The parents and the vehicle owner may face charges under the Land Transportation and Traffic Code for Unlicensed Driver, Improper Person to Operate a Motor Vehicle and Reckless Driving.
The LTO likewise suspended the driver’s license of the girl’s father, who allowed her to drive in Isabela, during rainy conditions. He was also the one who recorded the illegal act on video.
The agency is holding the father accountable for possible violations of the Land Transportation and Traffic Code, including Reckless Driving and Improper Person to Operate Motor Vehicle.
LTO Chief Assistant Secretary Markus Lacanilao warned that it is extremely dangerous for minors to drive, noting that such actions could put their lives and those of other motorists at risk.
Under Philippine law, individuals under 17 are not legally allowed to drive. Non-professional driver’s license applicants, or those driving private vehicles, must be at least 17 years old, while applicants for a student permit must be at least 16.
