Three personnel of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) were arrested for producing counterfeit car plates using materials and equipment from the agency’s plant.
According to a “24 Oras” report by Joseph Morong, the suspects were caught smuggling the plates by the security guard.
“Nakita po ng isang empleyado din po natin na nasa loob… Kasi sinesegrate po nila sa ibang place. Nakita po yung mastermind, kinukuha po kung saan po pinaglagyan nung gumawa,” said LTO Intelligence and Investigation Division Chief Renante Militante.
(One of our employees inside the plant saw that they segregated the plates in an area. We saw the mastermind taking the plates …..)
Five license plates were recovered from the suspects during the arrest, but there were reportedly 38 more pairs of plates missing from the agency’s inventory.
Based on the initial investigation conducted by the LTO, the suspects created made-to-order fake plates directly from the plant and sold them for P5,000 up to P10,000 per piece.
A suspected accomplice resigned from the agency before the operation began. He remains at large.
The LTO is currently investigating the possible involvement of other individuals in the manufacture of the fake plates.
The four suspects are facing complaints for qualified theft and robbery, while their customers may also be liable for violation of the Anti-Fencing Law.
The Department of Interior and Local Government said it will coordinate with the Highway Patrol Group to identify vehicles using the fake plates.
“Ito’y babala sa lahat ng bibili, huwag ho kayong umasa sa pakita sa inyong plaka. Checkin nyo na sa LTO,” said DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos.
(This is a warning to all who will buy, don’t rely on the plates offered to you, have them checked with the LTO.) —Jiselle Anne Casucian/LDF, GMA Integrated News
