LTO intensifies drive vs. manufacture, use of fake documents

MANILA – The Land Transportation Office (LTO) yesterday cautioned the public against people who will try to demand money from them in exchange for their preferred ending of plate numbers in the registration of their vehicles.

The LTO also asked the public not to engage the services of people who manufacture fake licenses, vehicle registrations and car stickers.

LTO chief Edgar Galvante said the agency will not just go after the manufacturers of fake LTO documents but, also those who patronize them.

“As part of our intensified campaign, the LTO will bar from obtaining or renewing the driver’s licenses of those who will be identified patronizing these illegal operations while those who will be caught manufacturing fake LTO documents will be criminally charged in court,” said Galvante, who also serves as an assistant secretary of the Department of Transportation

LTO executive director Romeo Vera Cruz said the agency is also coordinating with the banking industry to check the use of fake driver’s license as identification.

“We will provide bank management the know-how to check the fake driver’s license from the real ones,” Vera Cruz added.

Meanwhile, the LTO received information that there are some car dealers and agents who are asking additional payment from their clients who wanted to choose the last number of their vehicle plates claiming it as “added service.”

“I enjoin the motorists to just pay only the amount with official receipts because the agency does not charge anything above the prescribed fees,” Galvante said.

He said while the LTO is doing its best to solve the backlog in the issuance of vehicle plates, there are these people with criminal minds who take advantage of the situation.

“We will not condone this act and put these people where they should be. We may withdraw the accreditation of the erring car dealer and their agents,” the LTO head said.

Based on the information received by the agency, a client is being charged PHP3,000 to PHP5,000 if he wants to choose the last number for the vehicle plate saying it is considered a “special plate.”

Most of the victims of this modus operandi are new vehicle owners since the government is planning to have all new vehicles coming out of the car dealerships with plates already attached to them. This is part of the LTO’s “Moving Forward” program.

The LTO clarified that to date, the agency has not accepted application for the special plate and the issuance of the same is still suspended until after the backlog on vehicular plate has been resolved. (DOTr PR)

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