LTO-7 files criminal charges against motorcycle dealers for falsification

The Land Transportation Office in Central Visayas (LTO-7), has lodged criminal complaints against some motorcycle dealers for falsification. | CDN Digital file

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Land Transportation Office in Central Visayas (LTO-7) has lodged criminal complaints against specific motorcycle dealers for alleged falsification of documents following a thorough investigation.

Regional Director Victor Caindec told CDN Digital that the cases were filed after their investigations revealed multiple violations such as withholding the registration documents from buyers who have not completed their payments, falsifying receipts, and even possible tax evasion.

“We did an investigation and we found out all these violations. They are already facing administrative violations for their failure to meet the registration regulations, now they will be facing criminal charges,” said Caindec in a phone interview.

The LTO-7 director is determined to have these cases reach the court as the establishments’ modus has affected various buyers who were uninformed that they were entitled by right to receive their temporary plate number prior to registration and all registration documents after this have been processed by the dealers.

LTO Assistant Secretary Edgar Galvante has recommended the filing of the cases despite the threat of the on-going pandemic and calculated efforts aimed at harassing and intimidating the LTO-7 to desist from the investigation.

Read more: LTO-7 issues show-cause orders to five motorcycle dealers

“The findings of the investigation have compelled the LTO-Region VII to press criminal charges for falsification against the corporate officers, branch and area managers, and involved employees. During the course of its investigation, the LTO Region VII has discovered a deliberate pattern of exploiting the LTO system through fraudulent reporting allegedly perpetrated by these dealers and their authorized representatives by means of submitting falsified receipts/sales invoices,” said LTO-7 in a statement.

Caindec said that further investigations reveal that these establishments would embargo the motorcycles of buyers who fail to meet the payment “deadline.”

The regional director believes this action is a social injustice, as well as unlawful as embargoes of possessions such as motorcycles, should go through a proper court proceeding.

“You cannot just embargo a motorcycle arbitrarily. You have to go through the process. Tarungon nila. We want our establishments to do profit, but they have to do business right,” said Caindec.

The filing of the charges not only serves as a warning to other establishments planning to do the same scheme but also an attempt to give justice to the victims of these erring establishments.

The case has been lodged at the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office and LTO-7 hopes this will go to court.

“We want justice to our poor Filipinos nga nakapalit ani nila nya wala hatagi sa saktong mga papeles. I hope the court sees that,” added Caindec. /rcg