Friday, November 07, 2008 Motorcycle rider sues LTO for abuse, unjust resolution By Grace L. Plata
THE issue on motorcycle regulations, despite recent revisions, has not died down as motorcycle rider Kenneth Lu sued Land Transportation officials for abuse of authority and knowingly rendering an unjust resolution.
According to Agila Riders Club president Daniel Sunga, the case arose from Lu's apprehension last October 6 by a certain Charliemagne Manila, an LTO enforcer, for allegedly sporting a cut muffler on his motorcycle.
Lu, an Agila member, said in his affidavit that he immediately contested the apprehension and insisted that his muffler is not cut.
LTO heard Lu's complaint on October 8 at the office of Eleonor Calderon, chief of operations, as part of due process should one contest apprehension.
Calderon, after a lengthy discussion at the hearing, said that she would base her decision on whether to file charges against Lu on the report of the LTO technical people.
The technical experts of LTO proceeded to inspect Lu's motorcycle at the LTO designated inspection area.
The official findings of the technical experts are the following: Muffler is not cut nor disconnected and the muffler emits louder sound than the usual motorcycle.
Lu, in a statement, said the inspection report should have prompted Calderon to drop the charges against him but to his surprise, Calderon unfairly recommended the charges to be pursued thus Lu decided to file complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman for Mindanao. (GLP)
