(File photo)
MANILA – The Land Transportation Office (LTO) apprehended at least 41 riders and impounded their motorcycles during Day 1 of enforcing the “no registration, no travel” policy on Monday.
In a statement on Tuesday, LTO chief, Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II, said they would intensify their nationwide operation against unregistered motorcycles.
The LTO’s Law Enforcement Section, he said, has deployed personnel to areas where motorcycles frequently pass, such as along Katipunan Avenue and Aurora Boulevard.
“All the apprehended drivers were issued citation tickets and all the motorcycles with no registration were impounded,” Mendoza said.
He also ordered LTO regional directors to coordinate with the regional police and the traffic enforcement units of local government units in their crackdown on unregistered motorcycles.
“Napakaraming motorsiklo ang hindi rehistrado at batay sa ating record, marami sa mga ito ay hindi nakarehistro nang isa hanggang limang taon (Numerous motorcycles are unregistered and based on our records, many of them have remained unregistered from one to five years),” Mendoza said.
To date, he said, there are about 24.7 million delinquent vehicles – or those whose owners either failed or deliberately refused to register – nationwide, mostly motorcycles.
The crackdown on unregistered vehicles has been ordered by Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista to ensure that all motor vehicles pass roadworthiness inspections, a requirement for the annual registration of vehicles with the LTO.
“The operation we conducted in Metro Manila should serve as a warning to all delinquent motor vehicle owners to register them in the soonest possible time. Huwag na ninyong hintayin pa na mahuli kayo dahil mas malalang problema ang kakaharapin ninyo (Do not wait to get caught because you will only face serious consequences),” he said. (PNA)
