LTO Cagayan Valley second top official suspended for assaulting two men after his request was rejected

Cagayan, Philippines – A senior public official in Cagayan Valley was temporarily removed from his position after a viral hotel incident in Tuguegarao City, where he and another official were caught on camera assaulting two young men, one of whom is a minor.

On June 12, a netizen uploaded a video on Facebook where two men were caught talking to a sitting 15-year-old when all of a sudden, the two kicked and slapped the boy. The uploader claimed that the two officials approached the victim after his female companion, who was singing at that time, refused to go to their table and heed their request to ‘lambingin daw, kausapin, pasayahin’ their boss.

It was further claimed that another man, a 20-year-old, suffered the same fate as the 15-year-old, but it was not caught on camera.

The uploaded video came to the attention of higher government officials, which led to the suspension of one of the two men, later identified by reports as Assistant Regional Director of the Land Transportation Office 2, Manuel Baricaua.

LTO Chief Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II revealed to the media that the suspension was made as part of the Standard Operating Procedure of the government to pave way for a fair and just investigation.