Senator Lapid wants to ban gov’t agencies’ commemorative license plates

MANILA, Philippines – Senator Lito Lapid now wants to ban the use of commemorative license plates (CPLs) in the country bearing the names and logos of any government agency.

Lapid noted a large number of vehicles sporting CPLs bearing the names of several government agencies such as PNP (Philippine National Police), CIDG (Criminal Investigation and Detection Group), AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines), DOJ (Department of Justice), PNPA-PMA (Philippine National Police Academy-Philippine Military Academy) or positions in government such as LAWYER and PROSECUTOR.

Most of these CPLs, he said, were “super imposed” compared to the regular plates issued by the Land Transportation Office.

“The warlords of the road, after being shunned from their privilege of having to use their signature “wang-wangs” or sirens, seemed to have found a way to circumvent the “Walang wang-wang!” pronouncement of no less than the President, to again lord the roads in mafia style,” Lapid said.

And while legitimate commemorative plates serve to really honor a historic event or a noble profession, the senator said, “It cannot be discounted that they may be used by unscrupulous individuals.”

“This motivation is evident by the fact that there are some enterprising crooks who sell commemorative plates with a come-on that the same shall extend the bearer exemption to the number coding scheme implemented by the Metro Manila Development Authority,” he pointed out.

Lapid said commemorative plates bearing the names of law enforcement agencies also seemed to suggest that these vehicles are owned by some influential person or gun-wielding Mafioso, whom one may not wish to catch an irk of.

“Thus, most of the times, traffic enforcers are hesitant to flag down these vehicles despite obvious traffic violations,” Lapid said.

“Although there are regulations issued particularly by the LTO as guidelines on the use and issuance of commemorative plates, being mere regulations, they seem to lack the serious sting to address the improper use of commemorative plates,” he said.

This prompted the senator to file Senate Bill No 3153 known as “An act regulating the issuance of commemorative plates for motor vehicles and providing penalties thereof” to put an end to what he described as “absolutely inappropriate privilege extended to select individuals, who seem to profess themselves to be warlords of the road.”

Under the bill, “no CPL shall be issued bearing the names and logos of any department or agency of the government or those of positions in the government nor shall it be valid for more than six months.”

“It shall be illegal to display the CLP in a manner that will obscure the view over the regular license plates which should remain visible at the front and the rear of the vehicle at all times,” it said.

Once the bill is enacted into law, any person who will be caught violating the proposed measure will face an imprisonment of six months and a fine of not more than P100,000.

The same penalties also await those who will be caught “manufacturing, selling, distributing or otherwise dealing CLPs” in violation of this proposed legislation.