Surigao City – Authorities apprehended a tricycle driver in Surigao City after he was reported for lewd conduct in front of a female passenger during the early hours of Thursday in Barangay Washington.
The Surigao City Traffic Management Office (SCTMO), acting on a complaint, tracked down the driver of a tricycle bearing plate number SC No. 2173. Following his arrest, the suspect was immediately turned over to the Surigao City Police Station (SCPS) and is now facing criminal charges under Republic Act 11313, also known as the Safe Spaces Act or Anti-Bastos Law.
Investigators revealed that the driver committed several violations, prompting the issuance of Traffic Citation Tickets (TCT) for driving without a license, discourteous behavior, and improper attire—wearing slippers and shorts while operating a public utility vehicle.
Further checks also showed that the suspect had a previous criminal case in 2023 for allegedly molesting a minor passenger. At the time, he had already been issued a Temporary Operator’s Permit (TOP) with a penalty of ₱10,000.
Because of the serious nature of his repeated offenses, the SCTMO has recommended to the Land Transportation Office (LTO) Regional Office the cancellation of his driver’s license. However, authorities discovered that his license had already been revoked since 2023, meaning he was operating illegally at the time of his arrest.