Town’s 17 cars not registered – COA

CEBU, Philippines - The Commission on Audit has found 17 motor vehicles of the municipality of Dumanjug not registered with the Land Transportation Office.

The vehicles are also not insured against any insurable risk with the General Insurance Fund administered by the Government Service Insurance System.

“The municipality may not be indemnified or compensated for any damage or loss of said transportation equipment caused by fire, earthquake, storm, flood or other casualty,” read the 2013 COA report.

The inventory list of motor vehicles as of December 31, 2013 submitted by the property custodian-designate disclosed 25 serviceable vehicles, eight of which were received from the Province of Cebu.

Likewise, COA found nine motor vehicles, which included two ambulance vehicles, also not registered with the LTO during the same year. These vehicles were still serviceable and the last registration was in 2012.

The Toyota Grandia Ambulance purchased in 2011 was still green plated and has not been converted to red plate yet.

“This ambulance was used to transport patients to Cebu City exposing the driver and the patients to uncompromising situation when the motor vehicles they are using have no insurance coverage with the GSIS, more so, if the same are not registered with the LTO,” COA noted.

Moreover, it said that the municipality will not be spared from payment of indemnity due to death, bodily injury and/or damage to property of a third party in case of accidents arising from the use of such vehicles.

“No certificate of registration was found on file for ten motor vehicles,” COA said.

Further verification disclosed that of the seven vehicles that were unregistered, only two were taken up in the books of account of the municipality — the Toyota Double Cab with plate no. SGH 396 and one unit brand new ambulance, Toyota Grandia bearing Plate No. YKN 919.

COA also observed that there were several motor vehicles, especially those received from the Province of Cebu and municipality of Argao, that were not registered in the name of the municipality due to lack of supporting documents such as the deed of sale and deed of donation, thus, the registration and insurance cannot be secured.

This prompted COA to recommend that the General Services Office exert more effort to obtain records/documents of all motor vehicles and other transportation equipment owned by the municipality for a complete database of information and to facilitate re-gistration and insurance thereof.

Afterwhich, these vehicles should be taken up in the books of account of the municipality.

COA further recommended to the municipality to renew the registration of all its serviceable motor vehicles with LTO as well as the contracts of insurance with the GSIS to avoid additional expenses in terms of penalties and payment of damages for third party liabilities in case of vehicular accidents.  (FREEMAN)