LTO asked to intensify ops vs vehicles with DU30 plates

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Provincial Board has asked the Land Transportation Office-7 and Cebu's traffic agencies to intensify its operations in apprehending erring motorists who are still using unauthorized "DU30" plates.

 The members of the Provincial Board have observed that there are still vehicles with plate numbers that have "DU30" stickers and plates attached to it.

 With this, the PB has asked LTO to conduct mandatory checkpoints and issue fines against motorists using Duterte plates and stickers in lieu of their regular license plates.

 "Even prior to the 2016 National Elections and up to the present, it has been observed that there is a blatant proliferation of motorists installing Duterte plates and stickers in their vehicles," said Board Member Glenn Bercede, who authored the resolution.

He said motorists have installed customized plates bearing the words "Duterte," "DU 30" and even the president's face.

 "This only conveys their desire to evade traffic rules and to shy away from being flagged down by traffic enforcers for any possible violation," he said.

 Last July 10, Malacañang warned vehicle owners against attaching DU30 plates to their units to flout traffic rules. It called on the public to be vigilant against the abusive motorists.

 Secretary Martin Andanar of the Presidential Communications Office said that President Rodrigo Duterte will not tolerate vehicle owners who would use his name so traffic enforcers would not flag them down if they commit traffic violations.

 Andanar said that because the President is for equality, fairness and justice, he is encouraging the public to report abusive vehicle owners using Duterte plates.

However, the head of LTO in Central Visayas is puzzled over claims that some vehicles still have "DU30" plates when the office itself has not spotted one.

LTO-7 Director Arnel Tancinco underscored that no motorist has been apprehended, even before the national and local elections in May, for using plates bearing the "DU30" signage.

"We (LTO-7 personnel) haven't apprehended any motorist for violating such since we even haven't seen one and we also haven't received any report or complaint," said Tancinco in an interview yesterday over the phone, while confirming that he received the letter from the PB asking for assistance regarding their concern.

Tancinco said the office only noticed "DU30" plate designs made as decoration on vehicles, but not attached over the official number plates.

On the other hand, Tancinco assured that they will continue to look out for vehicles with the said plates and violators will be fined accordingly.

Tancinco earlier said a fine of P5,000 awaits violators using Duterte plates as replacement of the legal number plates issued by the agency.

 The fine is pursuant to Sec. 2E of the Joint Administrative Order 2014-01 of the Department of Transportation and Communication, which penalizes "attachment of any unauthorized plate/s or any accessory or device to and/or around the authorized motor vehicle license plate, or any manner of attachment that impedes in any way the visibility or reflectivity of the authorized motor vehicle license plate and/or the third plate sticker."

 The unauthorized plate will also be removed and confiscated in favor of the government. (FREEMAN)