MMDA warns vs tampered license plates

MANILA, Philippines — Amid the enforcement of the no-contact apprehension policy, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) warned motorists against tampering with their vehicles’ license plates to avoid detection by NCAP surveillance cameras.

Victor Ma. Nuñez, MMDA traffic discipline office head, said some motorists cover their license plates with face mask, electrical tape and masking tape.

“We admire the Filipino ingenuity, but I’m warning them. The penalty for this is P5,000. It might shock them,” Nuñez said.

He warned that the MMDA has alerted field personnel about tampered license plates.

Nuñez noted that covering a license plate violates Section 18 of the Land Transportation and Traffic Code.

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has preventively suspended the driver’s license of a motorcyclist who concealed his license plate with tape to avoid NCAP detection.

The violation was documented in a viral Facebook video that caught the attention of the LTO’s social media monitoring team. The viral post featured a motorcycle with its license plate partially covered by packaging tape, obscuring the last three letters.

In its show-cause order, the LTO directed the registered owner to appear at the Central Office and submit a written explanation on why he should not be penalized for the offense.