Torres cracks whip on erring PETCs

LAND Transportation Office (LTO) Chief Virginia P. Torres has launched a renewed crackdown against erring private emission testing centers as she ordered the closure and revocation of licenses of at least eight PETCs for allegedly engaging in the prohibited practice of non-appearance of motor vehicles and the issuance of falsified emission testing certificates.

This developed as Torres announced that more than 50 other PETCs are also facing possible similar sanctions after the central monitoring team has reported that they are likewise engaged in similar offenses.

“I want the public to know that we are serious in our campaign against erring PETCs even as I am warning other PETCs that are still engaged in this nefarious activity (of non-appearance) that we will not stop until all of them are closed and only those compliant operators will remain operational” Assistant Secretary Torres said.

Legitimate emission testing is required under the Clean Air Act before any motor vehicle is allowed to renew its registration at the LTO.

Ordered closed were Manila-Midwest Windshield and Emission Testing Center in National Road, Brgy. San Juan, Taytay, Rizal, MTM Emission Testing Center located in 1821 Almeda st., Tondo, Manila and CATB Emission Testing Center in Brgy. Bancal, Meycauayan, Bulacan.

Also padlocked were BDR Emission Test in Unno Gapan- Olongapo Road, Lagundi, Mexico, Pampanga, Bambang Emission Test Center at National Road, Bambang, Nueva Ecija, Summit Emission Testing Center at Mirasol st., Brgy. San Roque, Cubao, Quezon city, Pilar Emission Testing Center at Bataan Government Center, J.J. Liano road, Ala-uli, Pilar, Bataan and Airpool Emission Testing Center at Brgy. San Antonio,Makati city.

She also issued a warning against LTO officials for reportedly failing to comply with her earlier memorandum urging them to stop transacting with PETCs that were earlier ordered suspended or revoked.

In a memorandum dated August 5 this year addressed to all regional directors and their assistants as well as head of district offices, Torres noted that the said LTO officials continue to accept certificate of emission certificates even from PETCs with revoked licenses.

“It was brought to the attention of the undersigned that despite the actual receipt of the cease and desist order of a memorandum dated January 5 this year, you continue to accept certificate of emission certificates from these PETCs up until the present time “ Torres noted.

The non-compliance of this directive may constitute insubordination and could be construed as an act of defiance to a superior officer, for which administrative sanctions could be imposed “she further warned.

“In this regard you are hereby directed and strictly required to submit within three days from receipt hereon, a written explanation for the blatant disregard of the subject directive… your compliance thereto shall be expected without further delay” Torres stressed. Office of the Assistant Secretary, Land Transportation Office

LTO to alert total wreck MV

Land Transportation Office Chief Assistant Secretary Virginia Torres has sought the assistance of the Insurance Commission to compel insurance companies to alarm the LTO of the certificate of registration (CR) numbers of total wrecked motor vehicles (MV) which they have paid for from claimants.

In a letter to Insurance Commissioner Emmanuel Dooc, Torres said that the “motor vehicles earlier declared as ‘total loss/wreck’ by their owners and paid for by insurance companies has been identified as a potential take off point of carnappers in registering stolen vehicles.”

Torres said that it is imperative to monitor these total wrecked vehicles to ensure that their registration documents are not used for illicit purposes.

LTO received information that one modus operandi of carjacking syndicates is to ‘buy’ the registration papers of total wreck vehicles from enterprising insurance companies employees. Carjackers then hunt down a vehicle with the same make and ‘fix’ the vehicle, by manufacturing plate numbers, changing body color and altering with the chassis number, to be the resurrection of the vehicle in LTO records.

In other cases, and to prevent the detection of tampering by macro-etching of the PNP-HPG, the area with the chassis number is cut out from the total wreck vehicle and is weld on to replace the chassis number of the carjacked vehicle.

The vehicle could then be easily registered with the LTO by falsifying sale documents of the registered previous owner to the new owners and use the original OR/CR to transfer the registration to the new owners of the vehicle.

Torres sought the support and cooperation of the Insurance Commission to require insurance companies to regularly submit to the LTO reports of vehicles declared as lost so that these could be alarmed in the system and prevent any “kambal” motor vehicle to be registered using the documents of these wrecks.

The February 1 letter of Torres also informed Commissioner Dooc that the LTO has recently created the Study Group on Motor Vehicle Registration to review and update the MV registration process to identify and correct areas in the process most vulnerable to corruption, abuse and inefficiency. Torres also formed the Committee on Anti-Carnapping to investigate the possible involvement of LTO officials and employees in carjacking syndicates and registration of hot cars.-30- Virginia Torres, LTO