Friday, May 16, 2008
2 LTO officials in Cebu suspended over registrations
THE Land Transportation Office (LTO) has placed under preventive suspension registrars Gavino Padin and Aurelia Angcay.
The two were initially found to have registered tax-deficient vehicles.
Padin was the registrar of the LTO in Toledo City from 2006 to 2007 and 2007, while Angcay is assigned as registrar at the LTO office in Lapu-Lapu City.
7,000 vehicles
Assistant Secretary Alberto Suansing, the LTO chief, reported the suspension during the hearing of the House committee on good government last Wednesday, when Rep. Antonio Cuenco (Cebu City, south district) asked him what happened to the investigation on the matter.
Padin told the committee during the Feb. 13 hearing that he registered close to 7,000 vehicles in the LTO in Toledo City when he was still the office’s registrar in 2006.
Suansing found out that of the 7,000 vehicles, about 1,412 units are Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) and luxury cars. Of the number, 300 are running in Metro Manila with plate numbers intended for Metro Manila vehicles.
Of the 1,412 units of SUVs and luxury cars registered with the LTO in Toledo City, only the registration of 14 units were renewed in Toledo City. Most of the units were registered again in other LTO offices in Cebu and Metro Manila.
Although he did not elaborate on Angcay’s case, Suansing said Angcay was also found to have registered vehicles that lack the necessary Certificate of Payment (CP). That document, which is issued by the Bureau of Customs (BOC), certifies payment of duties and taxes on imported vehicles.
Reforms
“We continuously institute reforms. At the LTO, there are personnel, who...violate certain procedures. We have rules and procedures which should be followed,” Suansing said.
Suansing said there are no favored personnel in his agency and that whoever violates their rules and regulations will be punished.
“That is my focus at this time because it affects LTO clients,” Suansing said.
He added that they are giving attention not only to the registration of vehicles that were illegally brought into the country but also to stolen vehicles that were registered by unscrupulous LTO registrars.
This is being done not only in the LTO offices in Cebu but in other parts of the country as well, Suansing said.
Meanwhile, Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales said that unless the Tariff and Customs Code is amended, the tax deficiency of a vehicle is always attached to the unit even if the last owner bought it in good faith.
Rep. Pedro Romualdo, chairman of the House committee on good government, said that the discussion to amend the customs law will start after the last hearing scheduled next month. (EOB)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (May 16, 2008 issue)
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