Motorcycle-riding groups to Senate: Give justice to victims of fraudulent deals

Motorcycle-riding groups are calling on the Senate to hear their plea to give justice to riders, who were victims of cheating by the dealers, during a press briefing today, February 18. | Screen grab from Delta Letigio’s video

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Motorcycle-riding groups in Cebu City are urging the Senate Blue Ribbon committee to give justice to the victims of motorcycle dealers allegedly cheating them in their purchase of vehicles. 

The motorcycle-riding groups conducted a unity run as a show of support to the investigations conducted by the Senate due to alleged misfeasance, malfeasance, and nonfeasance in the implementation of the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act (R.A. No. 11235). 

Director Victor Caindec, Land Transportation Office in Central Visayas (LTO-7) chief, is set to face the Senate today after motorcycle dealers, whom the riders’ groups have complained about, have accused him of corruption.

Caindec already said in previous statements that the LTO-7 had evidence of the “scams” of the dealers and had even filed criminal charges against them over the falsified documents. 

Meanwhile, Moises Deipareine, one of the riders, said he was hoping the Senate would hear their side after they suffered the loss of their licenses and embargo on their vehicles simply because the dealers allegedly refused to provide them with the official receipt or certificate of receipt (OR CR). 

“Naa pud miy daghan reklamo sa mga motorcycle dealers. Among mga members nagyangungo sa dugay nga relase sa OR CR, failure sa pagrelease sa plate numbers, ug embargo sa motor during pandemic time,” said Depairene. 

(We also have our complaints against the motorcycle dealers. Our members have been complaining about the delay in the relase of our OR CR, failure of the release of our plate numbers and the embargo of our motorcycles during the time of the pandemic.)

Ruel Guerrero, another motorcycle rider, said it took six months for him to receive the plate number of the motorcycle from the dealer when the LTO-7’s process only takes four to seven days. 

Guerrero said he hoped the Senate would consider their predicament because they were the ones who had suffered through these schemes of the dealers. 

For the part of the dealers, they said in a statement that the alleged harrassment of the LTO-7 had tarnished their reputation and trade. 

They have filed various complaints to the LTO Central Office, the Congress, Malacañan, and other national agencies over the alleged corruption of LTO-7. 

They denied the allegations of LTO-7 that they had purposely delayed the release of the documents when in fact it was LTO-7 who refused to process registrations from their stores./dbs