DAVAO City Councilor Diosdado Mahipus Jr. has called on the Land Transportation Office–Davao Region (LTO–Davao) to suspend or revoke the licenses of drivers whose traffic violations lead to serious incidents.
In a privilege speech on January 6, 2025, at the Sangguniang Panlungsod, Mahipus said accidents caused by drunk, reckless, or overspeeding drivers, or by those who openly violate traffic rules, are not matters of fate but of negligence.
“I respectfully but firmly call on the Land Transportation Office to fully deliver and exercise its existing administrative authority to cause the immediate preventive suspensions and, where warranted, the revocation of the driver’s license of individuals whose violations endanger lives,” he said.
Mahipus said during the Pulong-Pulong sa Dabawenyo that traffic incidents are often settled privately between parties, without formal reporting. He stressed the need for LTO to be informed so it can initiate administrative action, including against so-called “kamote drivers.”
Traffic laws and legislation
Mahipus cited several national laws supporting stronger accountability for unsafe drivers.
Under Republic Act (RA) 10586, or the Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013, driving under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs is unlawful because it effectively turns a vehicle into a weapon.
He also referenced RA 4136, or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code, which allows authorities to withdraw a person’s privilege to drive if they are proven to be unsafe or improper operators of a motor vehicle.
In addition, RA 10930 strengthens the policy on driver licensing and reinforces accountability in the continued possession and use of a license.
Traffic incidents in the city
Mahipus said his office received reports that more than 30 individuals were rushed to the Southern Philippines Medical Center during the last week of December due to road incidents over the holiday period. While the figure may not seem high, he said, it serves as a warning that injuries and accidents can multiply quickly.
He said that a driver’s license is not a vested right but a privilege, and when violations result in property damage, injury, or death, that public trust is broken.
Data from the Traffic Enforcement Unit (TEU) showed that road crash incidents in Davao City increased by 31.3 percent in the first seven months of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024. Authorities recorded 2,598 crashes from January to July, up from 1,998 the previous year.
The incidents involved 4,864 vehicles, a 25-percent increase year on year. Most were private vehicles (37 percent), followed by motorcycles (21 percent) and trucks (10 percent).
Call for cooperation
Invoking the Local Government Code under RA 7160, Mahipus called for stronger coordination among local government units and national agencies to promote public safety.
He proposed institutionalizing mandatory reporting among the City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO), the Philippine National Police–Traffic Enforcement Unit (PNP–TEU), and the LTO for all incidents that cause injury, death, or property damage.
Mahipus said accurate reporting, proper referral, and synchronized documentation are essential to ensure swift, evidence-based accountability.
“Road safety is not achieved through silence after a tragedy but through action before the next incident occurs,” he said, adding that the call is not an act of defiance against institutions but an act of fidelity to the law, and a reminder that authorities have the power to prevent the next death. RGP