LTO reminds motorists to use plates or pay P5,000 penalty

CEBU, Philippines — Motorists are reminded to attach license plates to their motor vehicles or pay the ?5,000 penalty, Land Transportation Office chief Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II said.

This came after LTO received reports of deliberate refusal by some vehicle owners to attach them even after they were already released.

“Sa pakikipag-ugnayan natin sa PNP, through their HPG, and even in our own operations, we discovered that some motor vehicles are deliberately ignoring that responsibility,” said Mendoza.

He said motor vehicle ownership comes with numerous responsibilities and attaching the license plates as soon as they are already released is one of them.

LTO said the backlog for the license plates of four-wheel vehicles’ starting 2014 has already been addressed, while the backlog for motorcycle plates is expected to be wiped out on or before July this year as well.

“Hindi po souvenir items and mga plaka, dapat ikabit po ito sa ating mga motorsiklo at mga sasakyan as soon as na-release na ito ng mga car dealers at the LTO. Meron pong penalty kapag hindi po ito nasunod ayon sa batas,” he added.

Under Republic Act 4136, or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code of the Philippines, a penalty of ?5,000 is imposed on motor vehicle owners for not attaching or improper attachment of the license plates.

“Meron po kaming database ng mga plakang na-release na at magbabayad po kayo ng ?5,000 na penalty kapag napatunayan na tinamad or talagang wala kayong balak na ikabit ang mga plakang na-release na sa inyo,” he said. — (FREEMAN)