MANILA, Philippines — Tension gripped the Land Transportation Office (LTO) compound in Quezon City yesterday when after nearly 200 people seeking the release of their driver’s licenses argued with employees of the agency’s Licensing Center Renewal Section (LCRS).

The commotion started when hundreds of people who came as early as 6 a.m. got impatient with the slow process of releasing their licenses.

They became restless after they saw a couple who allegedly came late but went ahead of them into the encoding room.

“They were accommodated without falling in line,” Leonardo Soquiat, 38, a resident of Quezon City, said in an interview with reporters.

Soquiat applied for a renewal of his license last July.

Others confronted LTO employees, demanding answers about the supposed special treatment given to other people and why they are being asked to return another day.

Among them is Jeffrey Amoroso, 32, a resident of Caloocan City who applied for renewal in February last year.

He claimed staffers at the LTO told him last Friday to return the following day for the release of his driver’s license. However, he claimed he was told to come back on Oct. 7.

Amoroso went to the LTO after he saw on television a news report the public can obtain their licenses within minutes.

“What they are doing is a waste of time,” Amoroso told reporters.

Sought for comment, LCRS head Celeste Mayoralgo denied they are giving special treatment to other people.

“It’s impossible for that to happen,” she said in an interview with reporters, adding they accommodate people on a first come, first serve basis.

She said those given priority numbers are senior citizens, pregnant women and people with children.

Mayoralgo said they were surprised nearly 200 people went to their office yesterday when last Saturday, they only had about 50 persons.

“It’s possible they got word we were releasing licenses on weekends,” she said.

Mayoralgo intervened and sought to pacify the angry crowd, telling them to wait for their turn.

Processing for one person normally takes 10 minutes and that includes encoding the applicant’s information and taking biometrics and photographs. Another option is to come early so they could be first in line, according to Mayoralgo.

“We need your cooperation. Please don’t shout at our personnel because they are also people who get tired,” she said.