Alvarez calls on LTO chief to resign over license plate mess

FILE: Pantaleon Alvarez (Photo: Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez/Facebook)

MANILA — House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez on Wednesday called on Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief Edgar Galvante to resign over the agency’s failure to release new license plates with an estimated backlog reaching 6 million.

In an interview with reporters, Alvarez said Galvante had been in office for a year already, yet was still unable to address the unavailability of license plates nationwide.

Alvarez further noted that the license plate mess is not a major problem and can easily be resolved.

“More than 1 year ka ng nakaupo dyan at wala pa ring plaka yung mga sasakyan. Aba, the most logical thing for you to do is to resign. Ibig sabihin hindi mo kaya yung trabaho,” Alvarez said.

“Naging Secretary rin ako ng DOTC (Department of Transportation and Communications) before eh. I could not see any reason why hindi natin maibigay yung plaka. Napakasimple na problema yan eh,” he added.

Alvarez said one of the campaign promises of President Rodrigo Duterte is to resolve the car plates and driver’s license problems at the LTO.

“Isa yan sa mga issues na ni-raise ng ating Presidente nung siya’y kandidato palang na bakit ‘pag bumili ka ng sasakyan e mag-aantay ka ng ilang taon wala pa ring plaka. Ano ba ganun ba kahirap yung plaka?” Alvarez said.

The Commission on Audit had earlier ruled that the license plate deal between the LTO and the Plates Development Concepts Incorporated – J. Knieriem B. V. – Goes Philippines Inc. (PPI-JKG) is in violation of the procurement law.

The PPI-JKG bagged the PHP3.8-billion contract to supply the LTO with car plates in 2013.