RADIO blocktimer Roger Cimafranca may be off the hook on criminal charges after he paid administative fines at the Land Transportation Office (LTO-7) yesterday morning.
Cimafranca paid a P5,078 fine for using an unauthorized plate number “7TC-M-1068” for his motorcycle.
“After he paid the fine his confiscated driver’s license was returned too. We will not file any charges against him,”Joel Maloloy-on, LTO-7 operations chief, said.
Cimafranca was advised to transfer the registration to his name since a deed of sale was signed last March 23, 201 by the one who sold the motorcycle to him for P37,000.
The broadcaster was widely criticized for berating a Citom enforcer after a video of their May 20 encounter where he was flagged down for a traffic violation was uploaded in Facebook.
LTO-7 Regional Director Arnel Tancinco said Cimafranca won’t be fined for his temporary plate which bore the word “media.”
“It was temporary so we have no jurisdiction on it except if the one he used was official then that will be a violation because there must be no sticker or accessories on the official plate,” Tancinco said.
A P12,000 fine is slapped on those driving an unregistered vehicle.
Maloloy-on said a temporary plate can only be used within six months.
Regular plates can be claimed at their office 45 days after registration.
Plates for newly registered vehicles can be claimed at LTO-7 office while renewed plates can be claimed at the district offices.
Cimafranca settled his P2,500 fine at Cebu City Traffic Operations Management (Citom) last Friday.
Cimafranca was cited for two lapses — overloading with two backriders and for carrying passengers who did not wear crash helmets.
He was stopped at the South Road Properties (SRP). Criminal charges were filed against him by Citom in the uproar that followed.
Carlo Vincent Gimena, head of Citom’s legal section, said Cimafranca needs to go to their office so they could file an affidavit of desistance.
“It’s still up to the court to decide if the charges will be dropped,” Gimena said.