LTO suspends 3 more driving schools for fraudulent certificates

INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines – The Land Transportation Office (LTO) on Monday suspended three more driving schools in Metro Manila and Cavite for alleged fraudulent issuance of theoretical (TDC) and practical driving course (PDC) certificates.

In a statement, LTO chief Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II said a driving school in Las Piñas City, another in Caloocan City, and one in Silang, Cavite have been issued 30-day suspensions based on intelligence reports that they issued certificates despite non-completion of the courses.

TDCs and PDCs are major requirements in the application for a driver’s license.

“May nakumpirma tayong impormasyon sa maling gawain ng mga driving schools (We have confirmed fraudulent activities by these driving schools). They are now the subject of the investigation and part of the due process is to issue them with a show cause order (SCO),” Mendoza said.

An initial report showed the driving schools were issuing PDC and TDC certificates despite non-completion of required hours and seminars for their students in exchange for payment.

“This illegal practice is dangerous. It must be stopped since those who were issued with fraudulent driver’s licenses would most likely endanger the lives of road users for lack of proper training and education,” he said.

In the SCO signed by LTO Central Accreditation Committee on Driving Institutions chair Greg Pua, the driving schools were asked to explain in writing why they should not be punished based on existing LTO rules, particularly the LTO Memorandum Circular No. VDM-2023-2460, or the Revised Omnibus Guidelines on the Accreditation, Supervision, and Control of Driving Institutions, and Standardization of Driver and Conductor’s Education.

On Sunday, Mendoza also ordered a 30-day suspension against two driving schools in Lucena City and San Sebastian, Tarlac for similar offenses.