LTO: ‘baklas plaka’ not allowed

LTO reiterates that it is illegal for law enforcers to confiscate license plate

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) recently reiterated that agency law enforcement units and their deputized agents are not allowed to confiscate the license plate of a motorcycle or vehicle.

This is after the agency received reports that some law enforcement units were doing the “baklas plaka” (confiscation of license plates) on vehicles that were involved in a traffic violation.

LTO chief, Atty. Jayart Tugade, has signed a new memorandum reiterating the provisions stated in Joint Administrative Order (JAO) No. 2014-01 that only the driver’s license (DL), Student Permit (SP), or the vehicle’s registration can be placed under “alarm” if a traffic violation cannot be immediately imposed upon the driver, or if the penalty of a traffic violation remains unsettled.

“In all cases where the penalty includes the confiscation, suspension or revocation of a driver's license or student permit as well as the suspension or revocation of the registration of a motor vehicle or impounding the motor vehicle, and the same cannot be immediately implemented, the driver's license, the student permit, or motor vehicle as the case may be shall be put on alarm until the proper penalty may be implemented,” said JAO No. 2014-01.

Moreover, Tugade reiterated that the license plate cannot be confiscated if agency law enforcement units or their deputized agents were unable to impound a motorcycle or vehicle.