Accept insurance from all accredited companies

CEBU, Philippines — Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief, Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II warned personnel, especially those who are assigned in district and satellite offices, who refuse to accept Compulsory Third Party Liability (CTPL) presented by motor vehicle owners renewing their vehicle registration if it’s not from their favored insurance sellers.

For as long as it is from insurance sellers accredited by the Insurance Commission, then the CTPL should be accepted.

“Only those who are duly licensed by the Insurance Commission to sell insurance are allowed to sell. Everybody should stop. Otherwise, we will conduct operations and launch legal offensive against them,” Mendoza said.

He said he has been receiving reports that some LTO personnel refuse to accept some CTPL because these aren’t from their favored insurance sellers.

“Hindi po tama ito. For as long as the CTPL is availed from companies accredited by Insurance Commission, valid ‘yun and I advise all motor vehicle owners to fight for it because I will be on your side,” he said.

He warned erring personnel in response to the instruction of DOTr Secretary Vince Dizon to make all LTO transactions comfortable to clients, as well as a result of the meeting with transport groups, insurance companies and other stakeholders for the increase in insurance benefits.

“I also warn our personnel na kapag kayo ay inireklamo o nahuli namin kayo na tinatanggihan ang vehicle registration dahil ayaw ninyo ng CTPL, magiging malaki ang problema ninyo sa akin,” he added.

Aside from the warning, he vowed to address the issue.

“Bukod sa warning, we will also be deploying mystery customers para mahuli yung mga hindi authorized na magbenta ng insurance at kung sino man ang kakunsaba nila sa LTO,” he said.

For insurance agents, he urged them to ensure they have the correct data for encoding in the LTO system to prevent delay and glitches in the registration process.

LTO will also be posting in their offices to inform motor vehicle owners that their CTPL is valid for as long as they are obtained from Insurance Commission-accredited companies.

Mendoza also lauded the conviction of six fixers who were sentenced to a maximum of three-year imprisonment and at least ₱5,000 fine for each offense by two separate courts in Cagayan Province.

A certain Rufelyn Bayaca was convicted in all the four cases filed against him by a court in Gataran, Cagayan, including falsification of public documents and violation of the Anti-Red Tape Law, or Republic Act 9845.

Meanwhile, Mirasol Ramos, Elvira Donato, Elsie Ramos, Jesie Macapulay, and Jenno Bruar were also convicted of three criminal charges leveled against them by a court in Tuao, Cagayan, in connection with illegal transactions in the LTO.

“I commend all our personnel in Cagayan for their anti-fixer efforts --from the arrest to the conviction of these people. Talagang tinutukan nila ang kasong ito at nagbunga naman ito ng conviction,” he said.

A handful of LTO employees were also arrested or under investigation for conniving with fixers.

“Let this serve as a warning to the fixers that we will be relentless in running after you. Titiyakin namin na talagang magsisisi kayo sa maling gawain na pinasukan ninyo,” said he. (CEBU NEWS)