Crackdown on fake license plates by LTO soon
Earlier this week, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) announced that, finally, after 11 years, the license plate backlog that has haunted the agency has been resolved. With 7.2 million plates now ready for distribution, there’s no longer any reason for the motoring public to patronize illegitimate license plates from unauthorized sources.
Now, the LTO has issued a stern warning to motor vehicle owners against the use of fake license plates, as it renews its intensive crackdown on manufacturers and sellers of these bogus items, particularly those who advertise their illegal activities online.
For motorcycle riders, the penalties for using a fake license plate are harsh due to the Republic Act (RA) 11235, also known as the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act. Violators face fines of up to PHP 10,000 and imprisonment ranging from six months to two years.
Acting Assistant Secretary and LTO Chief, Atty. Greg Pua, Jr., said that there is no longer any justification for motorists to acquire fake plates, given that the national backlog in legitimate motor vehicle plates has been fully addressed.
“Everyone now has a license plate, and right now, we are focusing on [the] immediate distribution of these plates to their owners. In fact, we have already downloaded millions of license plates down to the regional level for distribution,” said Atty. Pua.
The LTO’s commitment to this crackdown was demonstrated last week, when LTO personnel, in coordination with operatives from the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG), successfully arrested four individuals in San Ildefonso, Bulacan, for manufacturing and selling counterfeit license plates.
Atty. Pua affirmed that the LTO is continuously coordinating with the PNP amidst intensified monitoring of social media platforms for those advertising fake plates.
The heightened enforcement follows a significant announcement on Tuesday, July 15, when Transportation Secretary, Vince Dizon and Atty. Pua declared that the 11-year backlog on license plates had been completely wiped out. This achievement was largely attributed to the LTO’s ramped-up printing efforts over the past two years, which resulted in the production of over 18 million motor vehicle plates.
Atty. Pua has urged motor vehicle owners who have yet to claim their legitimate plates to utilize the LTO Tracker app or coordinate with their respective dealers or nearest LTO offices for prompt distribution.
