Monday, April 14, 2008 No renewals for previously registered SUVs
THE Land Transportation Office (LTO) 7 will no longer renew the registration of sports utility vehicles (SUVs) deemed previously registered.
Registering such vehicles violates Executive Order (EO) 156, which prohibits the importation and registration of used vehicles.
While LTO 7 Director Raul Aguilos admitted that thousands of used SUVs are now owned by public officials, businessmen and those belonging to the middle class, he has no other choice but to follow Assistant Secretary Alberto Suansing’s order.
Aguilos said that owners may direct their complaint to Suansing.
Registration
He said non-renewal of the registrations of questionable vehicles will start next month, as contained in Suansing’s memorandum.
Suansing based his order on the Supreme Court decision issued in August 2006 that declared President Arroyo’s EO 156 legal and valid.
Hearing
During the House committee on good government hearing last March 5, Suansing said initial results of their investigation on the registration of more than 6,000 vehicles by the LTO 7 Toledo City district office revealed several violations.
Some vehicles were registered with certificates of payment of duties and taxes for engine and chassis only, and not as whole units.
Suansing told the committee that the first owners made it appear that the vehicles were locally assembled when they arrived in the country as whole units.
They were reportedly just “misdeclared” as used truck replacement parts. (EOB)
