LTO: Used cars at Port Irene can’t be registered

MANILA, Philippines - The vehicles that arrived at the free port in Sta. Ana, Cagayan province, whose release was stopped by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in deference to a Supreme Court (SC) ruling banning the importation of used vehicles, would not be able to undergo registration process.

This was according to Land Transportation Office chief Assistant Secretary Virginia Torres, who said they were still waiting for official communication from the BOC and a copy of the SC ruling.

“These vehicles would not be able to get registered unless approved by the BOC,” Torres said. 

The SC ruling affirmed the validity of Executive Order No. 156, which banned the importation of used vehicles, except for trucks, buses and special purpose vehicles.

Torres said that customs payment is a “documentary requirement” before the LTO registers the vehicles.

“If the BOC would not accept the payment, then the LTO would not register the vehicles,” Torres said.

The more than 200 second-hand cars and vans arrived in Port Irene on Monday last week, allegedly in defiance of a ruling by the high court that upheld the ban on the importation of used vehicles into the country.

Following this, Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon ordered all Customs officials assigned at the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) not to process any vehicle importation pending clarification on the finality of the SC ruling.

Malacañang has said that it would enforce the high tribunal’s decision banning the importation of used cars through the CEZA in Port Irene.  

New shipment 

Meanwhile, another shipment of 400 used cars from Japan will arrive this week at Port Irene, according to CEZA senior deputy administrator Nilo Aldeguer.

But a port officer, who requested anonymity, said the vehicles will be confined within the special economic zone.