MANILA — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) suspended for 90 days the license of a bus driver after a male passenger with mental disability was mauled inside his bus on June 9 along the EDSA Busway.

“Siguro dahil hindi nila naiintidihan si Mac-Mac (victim). This is very personal because my younger brother has autism and I know how it is to have a loved one with this condition, and it takes a lot of understanding,” DOTr Secretary Vince Dizon said in a press conference.

Initial investigation of the Land Transportation Office found that “Mac-Mac” boarded the bus carousel in GMA-Kamuning in Quezon City bound for Makati, when the mauling incident happened in Buendia.

LTO chief Vigor Mendoza said the bus driver and its conductor had already submitted their statements last Thursday.

“Sinasabi nila nangangagat daw yung pasahero. Tapos, sinasabi nila, hindi raw nila alam na kinukuyog yung pasahero sa likod. All these sound hard to believe,” Mendoza said. 

Dizon promised to impose stricter penalties against those responsible and said a show cause order (SCO) had already been issued to the bus company.

“Kailangan may maparusahan, hindi natin tatanggapin yan. Ang unang responsibilidad ng gobyerno is protektahan yung pinaka-vulnerable, yung may mga disability. May mananagot dito,” he said.

Dizon added that public utility drivers are responsible for ensuring the safety of all their passengers.

He said the family of “Mac-Mac” is scheduled to have a meeting with him on Friday and promised to extend them the necessary assistance.