On June 12, 2025, DOTr Sec. Dizon immediately commenced an investigation upon seeing the viral video showing a person with disability being mercilessly beaten up inside a Precious Grace Transport, a public utility bus operating along the EDSA busway carousel on June 09. This immediate action led to call for the bus company officials, followed by the surrender, investigation, and the suspension of the involved bus driver and bus conductor. DOTr will further get their statements through the Land Transportation Office (LTO). Sec. Dizon also advised the public to report incidents like this to DOTr-SAICT (Special Action and Intelligence Committee for Transportation) security personnel stationed at every busway carousel station.

We, the National Council on Disability Affairs, deeply support the DOTr’s immediate and decisive response to this incident that causes outrage and disgust. The Council equally strongly condemns such maltreatments and other similar degrading and inhumane acts against persons with disability. Physical injury and/or maltreatment is a criminal act in direct violation of Article 266 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC).

Any individual or group found committing such abominable offenses of physically injuring /maltreating persons with disability shall be liable to corresponding fines and/or imprisonment as stipulated under Article 266 of RPC.

We call on relevant authorities and law enforcement agencies such as the DOTr-SAICT, the Philippine National Police (PNP), and the Persons with Disabilities Offices (PDAOs) to intensify their efforts to monitor and apprehend abusive individuals who are clearly in violation of human rights, more importantly committed against vulnerable sectors such as persons with disability within public utility vehicles.

Furthermore, we urge the public to be vigilant and to report cases of similar criminal acts committed against persons with disabilities to the PNP, Persons with Disabilities Offices (PDAOs), and NCDA through council@ncda.gov.ph.

As the national lead agency on disability affairs, NCDA reaffirms its unwavering commitment to promote and protect the rights of persons with disabilities. We stand firm in upholding respect for their inherent dignity and call on all sectors of society to join us in rejecting and condemning all forms of human rights violation against the disability community.