IACT warns of stricter drive vs fake driver’s licenses

Motorists using fake driver’s license would likely end up in jail this time as the Inter-Agency Council for Traffic (IACT) warned Friday that it would now strictly implement the law against the use of falsified and counterfeit driver’s licenses.

The IACT also cautioned against the use of tampered Official Receipt and Certificate of Registration. The law provides a penalty of P3,000 or imprisonment of up to six months for such violations.

The IACT is composed of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Land Transportation Office (LTO), Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG), and Metro Manila Council (MMC).

“The LTO is firmer now on filing cases against motorists who are, purposely or not, using falsified and fake driver’s license,”  LTO-National Capital Region (NCR) Director Atty. Clarence Guinto said in a statement.

Under the DOTr Joint Administrative Order No. 2014-01, a motorist bearing and using a fake driver’s license shall be subjected to a fine of P3,000; and will be disqualified from being granted a license and driving a motor vehicle for one year from the payment of the fine.

This penalty was further intensified by Article 1 Section 56 of the Revised Penal Code, which states that a motorist attempting to use or using a fake driver’s licence will be fined not more than P3,000 or will be imprisoned up to six months.

Guinto’s statement came after the IACT arrested driver Alexander Salvador, who was driving a van-for-hire, in Quezon City. Authorities found his driver’s license to be fake.

The LTO-NCR filed a complaint against Salvador for violating Section 31 of Republic Act 4136 or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code.

The provision states that “no person shall falsely or fraudulently represent as valid and in force any driver’s license, badge, certificate, plate, tag or permit issued under this Act which is delinquent or which has been revoked or suspended…”

I-ACT overall head Tim Orbos advised the public to be vigilant against drivers with fake licenses.

“Our commuters must be wary of fraudulent drivers that are starting to become rampant. Be sure that the licenses they carry are issued by the LTO,” Orbos said. /kga