House SecGen: No authorized special plates for solons

House of Representatives plenary. INQUIRER FILES

WASHINGTON, D.C., United States — House of Representatives Secretary General Reginald Velasco has reminded lawmakers that no special “8” plates have been authorized for use, saying that the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is mandated to confiscate these.

Velasco in a statement on Friday said that the House of the 19th Congress has not issued any special plates which means that these are not sanctioned by the House.

“The House of Representatives, under the leadership of Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, reiterates that it has not authorized the use of official plates for vehicles of House Members in the current 19th Congress,” Velasco said.

“These plates hold no official sanction from the House and are not to be considered legitimate,” he added.

Last November 2023, Velasco said they had entered into an agreement with MMDA about apprehending drivers using vehicles with the special “8” plates.  The deal was made after reports came out that some individuals have been using old “8” numbers or replicas just to evade law enforcement.

The number eight, under the Philippines’ special plate system, is traditionally given to members of the House.

READ: House, MMDA agree: Vehicles with ‘8’ plates to be apprehended 

Velasco said the agreement with MMDA is still being enforced.

“The House has an existing agreement with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, wherein drivers found using plates with the number ‘8’ will be apprehended, and such plates will be confiscated promptly,” he said.

“The unauthorized and illegal use of special plates is a matter that should not be tolerated, as it poses a threat to public safety and undermines the integrity of the vehicle registration system. We urge all individuals to comply with the law and refrain from engaging in such activities,” he added.

READ: House orders recall of all expired ‘8’ plates issued during past congress 

Velasco’s reminder came after Senator Francis Escudero apologized for what he said was an “unauthorized” use of the protocol license plate No. 7 assigned to him, which was attached to a luxury sport utility vehicle (SUV) that was caught for illegal use of the Edsa bus lane.

“The use of the protocol plate was unauthorized, as the vehicle was being driven by the driver of a family member,” Escudero said in a statement.

The Senator said he had already directed the driver to appear before the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and face the charges against him.

Velasco on the other hand said they expect lawmakers to uphold “highest standards of integrity” and “adherence to the law”.

“We remain committed to ensuring accountability and transparency within the House of Representatives, and we appreciate the cooperation of all parties involved in upholding the rule of law,” he said.