GMA urged to recall EO requiring registration of imported vehicles

President Arroyo should immediately recall an executive order requiring owners of imported vehicles to re-register their units with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) for being "oppressive and arbitrary," opposition Sen. Tessie Aquino Oreta said yesterday.

"The executive order is oppressive because the burden of proving the payment of taxes and duties falls on the car owner instead of those responsible for the importation," she said.

She pointed out that under tax laws, duties on imported cars should be paid by the importer.

She added that the EO is also oppressive because it would be extremely difficult for buyers of imported vehicles to meet the conditions imposed for the re-registration of the vehicles.

"This new directive has the hallmark of the asinine, anti-consumer initiatives cooked up by Mrs. Arroyo’s economic team led by Finance Secretary Jose Isidro Camacho," Oreta asserted.

She said that requiring buyers of imported vehicles to present to the LTO proof of payment of taxes and duties would be another "window" for graft.

"A new breed of fixers could emerge to spare owners of imported vehicles the bureaucratic hassle of going to the LTO headquarters to have their re-registration papers processed," she added.

Oreta urged the President to revise the executive order to make it easier for owners of imported cars to comply with the law, and ensure that it does not encourage graft. – Efren Danao