Land Transportation Office (LTO) Assistant Secretary Markus Lacanilao announced on Monday that he will instruct personnel to confiscate the driver’s licenses of motorists caught drunk-driving, making an exception to the waiving of license confiscations for traffic violations.

“Maglalabas ako ng memo ngayon, kasi diba nagkaroon tayo ng memo, with the guidance of DOTr (Department of Transportation), na walang confiscation of license. Ngayon, pag nahuli po namin ang drunk driving, papa-confiscate ko po ang license,” Lacanilao said during a press conference.

The LTO chief reasoned that drunk driving posed serious risks to motorists, passengers, pedestrians, and bystanders.

“Kasi ‘yun pong mga nagda-drunk driving, para sa akin, talagang nagagawa sila ng delikadong, seryosong threat sa mga kababayan natin sa kalye,” he said.

The land transportation head recounted an incident where a young boy was run over by a driver who had just left a fiesta drunk.

“‘Yung pinakahuli, ‘yung nangyari sa Region 8 na ‘yung bata, nadisgrasya, binangga nung driver na galing sa piyestahan na lasing. Kaya po mas maghihigpit po kami,” Lacanilao said.

“Sisiguraduhin kong lahat ng involved sa drunk driving na ‘yan ay ma-revoke na ‘yung mga license nila. At once na mahuli sila diyan, ipapa-confiscate po natin ‘yung driver’s license,” he reiterated.