LTO revokes license of Niño Muhlach after car crash in Antipolo
The Land Transportation Office has revoked actor Niño Muhlach's driver's license for two years, weeks after he caused a vehicular accident along Marcos Highway in Antipolo City.
Based on their investigation, severe fatigue caused Muhlach to lose control of the vehicle he was driving, resulting in it crashing into three establishments.
"Dahil dito, napatunayang may pananagutan ang nasabing aktor sa paglabag sa Reckless Driving at idineklarang Improper Person to Operate a Motor Vehicle, na naging batayan sa pagpapataw ng dalawang taong revocation sa kanyang lisensya sa pagmamaneho," the agency said in their statement.
Meanwhile, the vehicle remains under alarm status to ensure that the penalty will be enforced, as well as to prevent any transactions involving the vehicle while the resolution remains in effect.
"Seryoso ang LTO sa pagpapatupad ng batas-trapiko, lalo na sa mga paglabag na maaaring magdulot ng panganib sa ibang gumagamit ng kalsada," said LTO Assistant Secretary Markus Lacanilao.
"Ipatutupad natin ang kaukulang kaparusahan batay sa resulta ng imbestigasyon at pagdinig, anuman ang katayuan ng sangkot," he added.
The agency stressed that they will continue to strictly enforce traffic laws and regulations to protect the safety of all motorists and other road users.
"Hinihikayat ng LTO ang publiko na maging responsable sa pagmamaneho at sumunod sa mga itinakdang patakaran upang maiwasan ang mga aksidenteng maaaring magdulot ng pinsala sa buhay at ari-arian," they asked.
The car crash took place last Aug. 23. In an Instagram post, Muhlach acknowledged that the accident was "entirely his fault," explaining that he fell asleep behind the wheel because of an “extremely demanding and exhausting schedule.”
He assured that he will take full responsibility for what happened, ensuring that the injured individual received the necessary care and that that all property damage was fully compensated.
Alleged victim complains about 'lack of assistance'
Days before the LTO's decision to revoke the license, an individual claiming to be the victim in the accident alleged that Muhlach had not provided sufficient assistance to him.
In a now-deleted social media post, the person stated nearly three weeks had passed without his motorcycle being replaced, claiming Muhlach had not fulfilled his promises regarding the incident.
While Muhlach did not give a response to the post, his wife, Diane Abby Tupaz, defended him and denied the accusations.
"My husband is a good man! I’m saying this not because I’m his wife, but because he really is that kind of person na kailanman hinding hindi ginustong makasakit o makaagrabyado o maka-perwisyo ng ibang tao," she said in a Facebook post.
"Nakita naman din ng lahat na nung una palang, inamin niya 'yung pagkakamali nya, hindi niya tinalikuran, tinakbuhan, o pinabayaan 'yung mga taong naperwisyo dahil sa aksidenteng nagawa niya," she added.
Tupaz went on to say that her husband had been visiting the hospitalized victim to ensure that he was receiving the proper care from the doctors, and that he was covering his daily needs such as food, groceries, transportation expenses, and even school allowance for his daughter.
"And yung sa motor, huwag ho kayong mag alala kasi siguradong mabibigyan yan ng kapalit, hindi naman tatakas si Niño ng dahil lang sa motor," Tupaz said.
She urged people to think carefully before posting accusations against others, particularly if the claims could damage someone's reputation.
The alleged victm has since apologized for his remarks and acknowledged that his words had hurt many others.
"Taos puso po ako humihingi ng kapatawaran po. Nagawa ko lang po dahil sa dala nang aking emosyon, dahil sa motor ko po ako umaasa para may pang suporta po ako sa pang araw araw namin," he said.
