Saturday, February 02, 2008 LTO seeks validity of car registration requirement
THE Land Transportation Office (LTO) 7 will inquire from its head office in Manila if there is no legal impediment on the required Bureau of Customs (BOC) clearance in the renewal of car registration.
LT0 7 Director Raul Aguilus said this is the first time that a vehicle owner is required to submit a BOC clearance.
Under the LTO law, only the certificate of registration and official receipt are needed.
DOTC Assistant Secretary Reynaldo I. Berroya issued memorandum circular RIB-2007-892 after he and Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales signed an agreement on the collection of tax deficiency on smuggled or misdeclared vehicles, mostly sports utility vehicles (SUVs)and sedan.
Clearance
SUV and sedan owners are required to pay first the tax deficiency, if there’s any, so a BOC clearance is issued before the registration is renewed.
But while Aguilus promised Port of Cebu District Collector Ricardo Belmonte and Deputy Director Virginia Santiago of the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas to immediately implement the circular, he realized that there is no proof that it can already be implemented.
It states,“memo circular shall take effect 15 days after publication.” But there is no proof that the same was already published.
The circular covers buyers in good faith of all imported compete built units (CBUs); all CBUs from imported replacement parts indicated only by the engine and of chassis/vehicle identification number; and all imported motorcycles.
Government
Excluded in the circular are vehicles imported pursuant to the Motor Vehicle Development Program of the government such as vehicles from Norkis Group of Companies and those imported by embassies, consulates and other diplomatic mission.
Also not covered are trucks and buses covered by certificate of payments, which indicated the payment of duties and taxes for the whole vehicle by rebuilders accredited by the Department of Trade and Industry. (EOB)
