Julia Christine Botin

Chiz: 'Kamotes' involved in crashes, road rage incidents should lose licenses

Article (news)

Victoria Tulad

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1746606473525New Project (7).jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Philippine Red Cross rescuers respond to a multiple-vehicle collission at SCTEX on Thursday, May 1. <em>Facebook/Philippine Red Cross</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Senate President Francis &quot;Chiz&quot; Escudero called for the revocation of licenses of drivers involved in road rage and vehicular crashes in light of recent incidents.</p><p>This, according to Escudero, is needed to instill discipline. </p><p>&quot;Naging uso na content sa social media ang video ng mga ‘kamote’ drivers pero sa totoo lang ay hindi nakakatawa o nakakaaliw ang kilos ng mga ito,&quot; Escudero said in a statement on Wednesday. </p><p>(Videos of &#x27;kamote&#x27; drivers are trendy content on social media but their actions are actually not funny or entertaining)</p><p>&#x27;Kamote&#x27;, a play on the Filipino word for sweet potato, is slang for undisciplined motorists who are said to scratch their heads when they figure in accidents.</p><p>Escudero said &#x27;kamote&#x27; behavior puts others at risk and can escalate to violence.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/weather-traffic/2025/2/11/lto-revokes-license-of-viral-marilaque-superman-stunt-survivor-1550">LTO revokes license of viral Marilaque &#x27;Superman stunt&#x27; survivor<br/></a></div><p>&quot;To ensure that our roads are safe from these motorists, their licenses should be revoked, not suspended,&quot; he added.</p><p>Escudero believes the 90-day suspension imposed by the Land Transportation Office is not enough as a deterrent.</p><p>&quot;The lack of discipline among our motorists has become a serious issue. Drastic measures should be taken to restore order and revoking licenses of abusive motorists is a good first step toward achieving this,&quot; he said.</p><p>He stressed that a driver&#x27;s license is a privilege, not a right, and that motorists should be responsible on the road.</p><div><strong>RECENT INCIDENTS</strong></div><p>Two people, including a five-year-old girl, died on May 4 when an SUV rammed into the departure entrance of Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/5/7/young-girl-who-survived-naia-car-crash-now-fears-airport-says-pa-1326">Young girl who survived NAIA car crash now fears airport, says pa<br/></a></div><p>On May 1, a multi-vehicle collision killed 10 people and injured 37 others along SCTEX. The driver of a Solid North bus allegedly fell asleep and crashed into vehicles waiting for their turn at the toll plaza.</p><p>The LTO has also started proceedings in the case of <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/5/6/yanna-motovlog-no-show-at-lto-hearing-pickup-driver-to-pursue-case-1759">motorcycle vlogger Alyannah Aguinaldo</a>, who posted video of herself flipping her middle finger at a pickup driver in Zambales after she tried to overtake him on the passenger&#x27;s side. </p><p>When driver Jimmy Pascua confronted her to explain the challenges of maneuvering on rough roads, Aguinaldo&#x27;s video showed her arguing and hurling derogatory remarks at him.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iCASkg-ORSA?&amp;embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.abs-cbn.com%2F&amp;source_ve_path=OTY3MTQ&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>"Naging uso na content sa social media ang video ng mga ‘kamote’ drivers pero sa totoo lang ay hindi nakakatawa o nakakaaliw ang kilos ng mga ito," Escudero said in a statement on Wednesday.</p>

"Naging uso na content sa social media ang video ng mga ‘kamote’ drivers pero sa totoo lang ay hindi nakakatawa o nakakaaliw ang kilos ng mga ito," Escudero said in a statement on Wednesday.