The so-called protocol plates bearing the conspicuous number 8 that has largely been interpreted as a tool of special privilege or entitlement may yet turn to be a liability particularly the bogus ones.
This developed after The House of Representatives and the Metropolitan Development Authority forged an agreement to run after the unauthorized use of the protocol license plates allocated specifically for members of Congress.
House Secretary General Reginald Velasco announced the impending roll out of the drive following his issuance of a memorandum to recall spurious specialized plates issued to House members.
“Last night, the House of Representatives and the MMDA formally agreed to apprehend the drivers of vehicles bearing “8” plates and confiscate the expired or spurious plates,” Velasco said in a statement.
“I met with Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Acting Chairman Atty. Romando S. Artes, where we discussed that using unauthorized and illegal special plates should not be tolerated as it threatens public safety and undermines the integrity of the vehicle registration system,” Velasco added.
He stressed that the House leadership was committed to upholding the law and ensuring vehicle identification plates’ proper and lawful use.
Velasco earlier appealed to lawmakers to submit to his office any bogus protocol plate that may have come into their possession “for proper acknowledgment.”
Velasco said the House will issue new protocol plates only after they get hold of faked or expired plates.
He earlier asked the Land Transportation Office and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority to apprehend drivers of vehicles bearing “8” protocol plates and confiscate expired or bogus plates.
