LTO starts drive against vehicles without plates

CEBU, Philippines - The Land Transportation Office-7 has issued a directive to its operations division to apprehend all motor vehicles without plate numbers starting yesterday.

All vehicles sporting unauthorized accessories over and around the plate numbers will also be intercepted, said LTO-7 director Arnel Tancinco.

The said directive was in line with the implementation of the Joint Administrative Order number 2014-01 or the revised schedule of fines and penalties for violations of laws, rules and regulations governing land transportation.

Section D of the said JAO stated that motor vehicles operating without or with defective/improper/unauthorized accessories, devices, equipment and parts shall be fined P5,000.

Aside from the fine, the motor vehicle shall be impounded until the accessory, device, equipment or part is properly installed, corrected or removed, as the case may be and payment of the fine.

“The improper or unauthorized accessory, device, equipment or part shall likewise be confiscated in favor of the government.”

Tancinco said this is also, in a way, to force the owner of the vehicle or the dealer of the vehicles to claim their registered plate numbers with them.

“Para sad ni mapugos ang mga tag-iya sa sakyanan ug mga dealers sa sakyanan nga kuhaon na nila diri sa among opisina ang mga plate numbers,” Tancinco said.

To date, there are more than 4,000 plate numbers that are ready for release.

According to Tancinco, vehicle owners do not claim the plate numbers because they want the dealers to pay for them. Payment ranges from P200 to P600 depending on the type of vehicles. — (FREEMAN)