Non-deputized traffic enforcers can’t confiscate license plates: LTO exec

By Jordan G. Habbiling

BAGUIO CITY -- Only the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and LTO-deputized agencies, offices and personnel of the Local Government Unit can confiscate license plates.
    Lawyer Krystel Grace Sanchez, of LTO- Cordillera Administrative Region, bared this saying the City Government may request for deputation of its traffic enforcers from the LTO.
    As a requisite to their deputation, local government personnel will undergo a seminar.
    Sanchez said, so far, only the Philippine National Police, Highway Patrol Group, and some local government personnel in other local government units have undergone deputation by the LTO.
    For the City Government of Baguio, no office or local enforcer has been deputized yet.
    Taking a cue from Sanchez, the Baguio City Council passed a resolution urging the City Engineering Office-Traffic and Transport Management Division (CEO-TTMD) and the Traffic Enforcement unit- Baguio City Police Office (TEU-BCPO) to request deputation of the city’s traffic enforcers from LTO-CAR and to undergo the required seminar.
    Councilor Peter Fianza warned the TTMD and BCPO to be more cautious in confiscating license plates so as not to overstep their authority. 
    Fianza said there is a need to review the ordinances, “improve” them, and provide justification on the power of local enforcers to remove and confiscate license plates as vested by the LTO in compliance with the requirements for deputation. 
    According to Councilor Jose Molintas, TTMD personnel and police officers need to be re-oriented on local and national laws allowing them to confiscate the license plates and driver’s licenses of motorists violating transportation and traffic laws. 
    Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan tasked the City Legal Office to find out what ordinances and national laws require the confiscation of license plates by local government personnel and police officers to guide the enforcers in their operation.
    Meanwhile, Maj. Zacarias Caloy Dausen of the TEU-BCPO revealed that, of the 2,166 confiscated license plates since 2010, only around 50 had been claimed by the owners within the 3-month amnesty period. Through the amnesty which was enacted through an ordinance, the fines of these violators/license plate owners had been reduced to P200.00 to encourage them to claim their license plates.
    Previously, the LTO-CAR and the city government agreed to forge a memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the proper disposal of the confiscated license plates.
    As agreed upon, the city government will draft the MOA to be verified by the LTO-CAR and to be approved by the LTO central office.