LTO probes illegal importation of right-hand drive vehicles

HEAVY TRAFFIC. Motorists deal with heavy traffic along Jones Bridge in Binondo, Manila on Tuesday (Jan. 28, 2025). The Manila Public Information Office announced road closures for the Chinese New Year celebration on Jan. 29. (PNA photo by Yancy Lim)

By Raymond Carl Dela Cruz, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – The Land Transportation Office (LTO) is investigating the importation and sale of used right-hand vehicles in the country after a raid in an establishment in Quezon City.

LTO chief Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II said right-hand drive vehicles are banned in the country, based on Republic Act (RA) No. 8506 or An Act Banning the Registration and Operation of Vehicles with Right-Hand Steering Wheel in any Private or Public Street, Road or Highway.

“‘Under the law, mere presence of right-hand vehicles in the country is illegal as they should not have been imported in the first place,” Mendoza said in a news release on Monday.

Initial investigation began when the LTO social media monitoring team found that a store was selling right-hand drive vehicles.

After LTO-Intelligence and Investigation Division head Renante Melitante sought police assistance, authorities visited the Faequip Corporation Yard in San Pedro Compound 5, Tandang Sora on May 15.

The operation, backed by the Quezon City Police District, resulted in the confiscation of two used right-hand drive trucks and their LTO documents.

The two trucks will be subjected to an inspection to determine if the engine and chassis numbers have been tampered with.

“May mga nakalap na kaming (We’ve gathered) initial information that these motor vehicles were registered in an extraordinary way and we want to identify all the people involved,” Mendoza said.

“We will not tolerate this. As what our Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon said, hindi papayag ang pamahalaan sa mga ganitong uri ng maling gawain (the government will not allow any such wrongdoings),” he said.