POST ELECTION FEVER. A motorist passing by a checkpoint in Davao-Cotabato highway along the boundary of Toril District and Sta. Cruz town, Davao del Sur is seen here using a decorative DU30 plate. (Contributed photo)
DAVAO CITY — The Land Transportation Office (LTO) vowed to apprehend motorists, including politicians, who replace the permanent license plate with the decorative “DU30” plates just to show their support to the President-elect Rodrigo Duterte.
Eleonor Calderon, LTO XI chief of operation said that the LTO are “lenient” when it comes to using “decorative” plates, but explained that there should be a permanent license plate for every vehicle.
“That space must only be used for the permanent license plate issued by the LTO,” Calderon said.
Calderon said that motorist could only place decorative plates “above, beside or below” the permanent license plate.
She also said there will be no special treatments even for politicians who will be caught replacing their license plates.
Motorists who will be caught “for improper unauthorized use of license plate” will be fined P5,000.
“We already caught some motorists and there are five violators who already paid the penalty, while other violators haven’t gotten their vehicles yet, ” she said.
Unfortunately, Calderon said only LTO enforcers are the ones eager to do operations on plates, “since some law enforcers especially, those under the local government unit (LGU) have a little hesitation to do the operation.”
Calderon also cautioned the motorists that replacing the license plates are dangerous especially during road accidents.
“What if there will be a hit and run case and the vehicle uses a “DU30” plate? Where will we find the vehicle?” Calderon said.
Calderon said that there are three types of plates: the licensed, commemorative plates and the vanity plate.
“During the time of (former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, she allowed vanity plates and commemorative plates, but it was gone during the Aquino administration,” she said.
Calderon said that vanity plates are special plates like “Mark 05” while commemorative plates are plates that has an association that commemorates years of service. Motorists, she said, needs to pay the LTO for the manufacturing the plates. (davaotoday.com)
