Senate panel summons ‘Big 4’ motorcycle dealers

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate Blue Ribbon committee will summon the so-called Big Four motorcycle dealers, which Sen. Richard Gordon suspects are tied with corruption with some officials of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in the delays in the production of registration documents and license plates.

Gordon, who chairs the panel, named Des Marketing Inc., Des Strong Motors, Du Ek Sam Inc. and Premio Corp. as the motorcycle importers and dealers that should be probed during the committee’s hearing on Friday.

He said these MAIRDOES – manufacturers, assemblers, importers, rebuilders, dealers, other entities – get the installment money from buyers without giving them registration papers or license plates. Instead, the buyer only gets invoices for his or her purchase.

Instead of registering a motorcycle after it has been sold, the dealer holds the registration documents so that if the owner fails in paying the monthly amortization, the dealer will repossess the motorcycle and sell it again as a demonstration unit.

He said these motorcycle dealers sell units to ordinary Filipinos in need of mobility with exorbitant installment rates of 36 percent, and favor the delays in the release of plates and registration papers as they issue only invoices to customers, thereby depriving government of revenues.

The committee is conducting an inquiry in connection with the LTO’s delay in implementing Republic Act 11235 or the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act.

He added motorcycle owners are also endangered because they cannot get insurance since they have no proof of ownership.