Quezon city: The Land Transportation Office (LTO) will initiate a nationwide crackdown on vehicles using fake or improvised plates that mimic the design of official government-issued plates beginning September 1. In a press conference at the LTO headquarters in Quezon City on Tuesday, LTO Chief Assistant Secretary Markus Lacanilao announced that vehicles without authorization to use improvised plates will be impounded, while those with authorization but using counterfeit plates will have these plates confiscated.
According to Philippines News Agency, Lacanilao stated that the agency has noticed an increase in the online sale of improvised plates that closely resemble official LTO plates, including the QR code. He emphasized that the LTO has not given any authorization to create improvised plates that copy LTO or other government-issued plates. Lacanilao likened the use of fake plates to forging a driver's license or passport, pointing out that some motorists use them to avoid detection by traffic enforcement cameras.
Under the new guidelines, motorists who have lost their plates must obtain authorization to use an improvised plate from the LTO. The improvised plate must clearly display "Lost Plate" or "Improvised Plate" at its bottom. Even those with valid authorization will have their plates confiscated if they are counterfeit copies of official LTO plates. Lacanilao reiterated that vehicles without authorization will be impounded, and those with authorization using fake plates will have their plates seized.
The LTO is working in coordination with the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, National Bureau of Investigation, Department of Information and Communications Technology, and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center to pursue online sellers of fake plates and conduction stickers. Lacanilao has also instructed LTO personnel to expedite the processing of authorization for motorists who report lost plates.
The crackdown follows an incident in which a supercar once owned by actor Derek Ramsay was voluntarily surrendered to the LTO for investigation after being seen using a non-agency-issued plate. The registered owner and the driver, a businessman, appeared before Lacanilao to address a show-cause order, with the driver admitting to the violation and apologizing. The vehicle remains impounded as the investigation continues.
