National Press Club (NPC) President Leonel Abasola on Thursday filed a formal complaint before the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) after experiencing a dangerous high-speed chase while riding a suspected “colorum” van from Cavite to Manila.
Abasola personally went to LTFRB Chairman Atty. Vigor D. Mendoza II on the afternoon of February 20 to report the incident, which he said placed his life and that of fellow passengers—including a pregnant woman—in serious danger.
In his account, the incident occurred Thursday morning when he and 10 other passengers boarded a van in Dasmariñas, Cavite, bound for Lawton, Manila. During the trip, they noticed that operatives of the Philippine National Police–Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) were pursuing the vehicle. Instead of stopping, the driver allegedly sped off, triggering a high-speed chase.
Abasola described the ordeal as “like a scene from a movie,” saying passengers feared for their lives as the van weaved through traffic. The chase reportedly ended just before entering the Coastal Road tollway, with the driver managing to evade arrest.
Following the complaint, Mendoza ordered the LTFRB’s Central Enforcement Team to immediately investigate. Authorities have since identified the driver and the registered owner of the vehicle, who are set to be issued a show cause order for operating an unauthorized public utility vehicle.
The LTFRB reiterated its warning to the public against patronizing “colorum” vehicles, stressing that unregistered operators pose serious safety risks as they are not covered by proper permits, insurance, and regulatory oversight. Meanwhile, coordination with the PNP-HPG is ongoing to hold those responsible accountable.
