Dealers hit back at Caindec for delay in OR/CR release

CEBU, Philippines — A group of motorcycle dealers categorically denied the accusations made by Land Transportation Office-7 Director Victor Caindec that they are the alleged reason behind the delays in the release of motorcycle Official Receipts (ORs) and Certificates of Registration (CRs).

The group, through its lawyer-spokesperson Gilbert Andres, issued the statement after Caindec blamed them on hundreds of motorcycles that were apprehended during the five-day operations in Bohol due to lack of registration documents.

“Instead, RD Caindec should pin the blame squarely on himself for his repeated failure to release motorcycle ORs/CRs within the ‘3 hours, 15 minutes’ time frame as mandated by the amended 2019 LTO Citizen’s Charter,” Andres said in a statement.

The Land Transportation Office in Central Visayas (LTO-7) is appealing to vehicle owners whose plate numbers are ready to be claimed to get them as soon as possible.

According to reports, Caindec said that they have 451,379 unclaimed motorcycle plate numbers from their releasing site in SM Seaside from 2014 to 2022.

“Is this all nga mga plaka nga wala pa nadistribute sa gobyerno, no, it’s not. But it’s a significant number. Sometime in April, we met with the dealers in a hotel and we talked to them, we need your help because we cannot distribute these plates on our own,” the LTO-7 chief was quoted as saying.

In order to reduce the backlog, the LTO-7 also urged the motorcycle dealers to get the plates of their clients and distribute them. A memorandum of agreement and undertaking between the LTO-7 and the dealers was being pushed so that dealers could distribute the plates.

The problem, though, is that out of the more than 200 dealers in Cebu, only four signed the memorandum of agreement and undertaking.

“What is holding back the other dealers from signing this MOU, I don’t know. But the plates are ready. We cannot just outright release it to them, these are something we need to liquidate also,” Caindec said earlier.

The amended 2019 LTO Citizen’s Charter provides that the total processing time from when the LTO client submits requirements until he receives his OR, CR, sticker, plates and RFID sticker is merely “3 hours, 15 minutes.”

However, Andres said that LTO-7 under Caindec has failed to do this in numerous instances.

“In fact, the Anti-Red Tape Authority recommended for his preventive suspension and filed a complaint against him with the Ombudsman for violation of Section 21, paragraphs (a) & (b), and 75 counts of violation of paragraph (e) of Republic Act No. 11032 or the ‘Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018.”

Why Caindec must be blamed

ARTA further previously recommended that said case against Caindec be referred to the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission for immediate conduct of investigation for possible violation of Republic Act No. 3019 or the “Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act,” and any other laws, rules, and regulations, as may be applicable.

Andres cited additional facts that further reveal that Caindec should blame himself for the unjustified delays in the release of ORs/CRs.

First, there is only one New Registration Unit for the entire Region 7. All documents from the thousands of sold cars and motorcycles from Cebu and its neighboring islands of Negros Oriental, Siquijor, and Bohol have to be sent to Cebu for registration.

“The solution would be to open more new registration units not just in Cebu but in the outlying islands of Region 7,” Andres said.

Second, there is only one computer shared among multiple dealers to access the DIY registration system in Region 7 while other regions have as many as 15. Because motorcycle and car dealers have to take turns accessing this computer (MWF for motorcycles and TTh for cars), motorcycle dealers are constrained to process registrations in other regions. This schedule would even be often canceled when the LTO system is “offline” or when their internet connection is slow.

Third, Andres said that Caindec’s statement that dealers delay the payments for the registrations is not true. He said that there is only one cashier in the LTO Regional Office who handles payment in the new registration unit and the submitted documents have to be “evaluated by LTO personnel” prior to payment. Thus, dealers have to wait for the cashier to inform them that payment may now be made.

Fourth, Caindec has designated only one release center for plate numbers for the entire Region 7 which Andres said Caindec cannot expect all motorcycle riders from the surrounding islands to claim the plate numbers in SM Seaside Cebu. Motorcycle dealers have not also received any formal communication on the Memorandum of Understanding that he has allegedly required dealers to sign.

Andres said this has only been a Region 7 issue as other LTO Regional Offices have already widely distributed plate numbers without the need of additional requirements.

 “Thus, the dealers strongly urge Caindec to stop politicking and, instead, pin the blame on himself and then focus on how he can fix his shortcomings in LTO-7,” Andres added.

As of this writing, Caindec has yet to issue a statement regarding the allegations of Andres. — JMD (FREEMAN)