Pinamalayan: A driver in Pinamalayan, Oriental Mindoro is facing reckless driving and other administrative charges after accidentally hitting and killing a child at a pedestrian crossing on Sunday. Assistant Secretary Markus Lacanilao, Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief, ordered the immediate issuance of a show cause order (SCO) to the driver, who was driving a red Isuzu D-Max during the incident.

According to Philippine News Agency, an initial investigation revealed that the driver was headed southbound on the South Road National Highway (SRNH) in Barangay Nabuslot, Pinamalayan, when they struck the child who was running across a pedestrian crossing. The child sustained severe injuries and was declared dead at the scene at 11:50 a.m.

The tragedy, captured on CCTV, quickly went viral on social media, sparking public outrage. In a statement on Monday, Lacanilao emphasized the importance of responsible driving and adherence to traffic laws to prevent such incidents. He stressed that the lack of professional driving education and discipline contributed to the accident.

The driver has been summoned to a hearing at the LTO headquarters in East Avenue, Quezon City, to submit a sworn comment or explanation regarding the charges. In addition to reckless driving, the driver is charged with failing to yield the right of way to a pedestrian and being deemed an improper person to operate a motor vehicle.

Moreover, the owner of the D-Max is accused of equipping the vehicle with unauthorized accessories. The driver is also expected to face separate criminal charges. Meanwhile, the driver's license has been temporarily suspended, and the vehicle has been placed on alarm pending further investigation.

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