MANILA: Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief Assistant Secretary Jose Arturo “Jay Art” Tugade reminded the agency’s enforcers and deputized agents that “baklas-plaka” or confiscation of license plates when apprehended is prohibited.

LTO addressed this after receiving complaints from the public, referencing Joint Administrative Order No. 2014-01.

According to the administrative order, “In all cases where the penalty includes the confiscation, suspension, or revocation of a driver’s license or student permit as well as the suspension or revocation of the registration of a motor vehicle or impounding the motor vehicle, and the same cannot be immediately implemented, the driver's license, the student permit, or motor vehicle as the case may be shall be put on alarm until the proper penalty may be implemented.”

In a memorandum, Tugade stated that LTO enforcers are not authorized to confiscate license plates unless the apprehended vehicles are impounded.

Photo from Land Transportation Office

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