LTO stops renewing surplus vehicles

OWNERS of imported sports utility vehicles (SUV) who bought their cars after November 2006 will no longer be allowed to renew their vehicle registration at the Land Transportation Office (LTO).

LTO Negros chief Norman Saril said they were directed by the national office to strictly implement the order and inform SUV owners to process their registration in the place where they originally bought their cars, usually in Cebu and Subic, where imported surplus vehicles have been delivered.

The administrative order stemmed from earlier complaints of local distributors of Toyota, Ford, Mitsubishi and others whose businesses were affected by the numerous surplus vehicles that entered through the ports of Cebu and Subic.

The vehicles are suspected to have been facilitated and released with owners paying lower taxes than they would normally pay for buying imported vehicles.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo earlier issued Executive Order 156 to address the complaints of local distributors.

But local importers questioned the legality of the EO and filed a case before the Supreme Court.

The SC recently decided that Arroyo's EO is valid and ruled the registration of vehicles bought after November 15, 2006 as void. (Ma Ester Espina - SunStar)