The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has not yet issued No. 8 protocol plates for lawmakers in the 17th Congress, rendering the use of No. 8 plates illegal, an LTO official said yesterday.
LTO Law Enforcement Service Director Francis Almora told Inquirer.net that the No. 8 plates were only valid until 2016 as the last batch they had issued are for lawmakers during the 16th Congress.
“Wala pong na-issue na plates for 17th Congress,” Almora told Inquirer.net in a phone interview.
“2013 to 2016 po ‘yung tenure ng 16th Congress, so 2018 na po ngayon so meaning to say tapos na po ‘yung tenure nung congressmen na member po ng 16th Congress,” he added.
Almora said that after the term of the congressmen, they should return their protocol plates after the expiration of the validity period.
“May date po kasi ‘yan na nakalagay sa plaka, ang 16th Congress from year 2013 to 2016 valid,” Almora said.
“So, in effect, ang ano po nyan, ‘yung congressman, after po nung term nila, binabalik po nila dapat yan sa secretary general ng Congress at ‘yung office ng secretary general ang nagsasauli sa LTO,” he added.
Majority Floor Leader Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. earlier requested former members of the House of Representatives from the 16th Congress to return their protocol plates in the wake of issues involving a car with an “8” plate.
Almora said they support the move of the House of Representatives to recall the protocol plate No. 8.
“We fully support po. We defer to the wisdom po ng ating Kongreso, once po na sinabi po nila, fully support po kami sa anumang kauutusan galing po sa kanila,” he said.