The Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Land Transportation Office (LTO) have signed an agreement to tighten control over imported vehicle registration and crack down on illegally imported vehicles.
The partnership, signed on Tuesday, will enhance data sharing between the two agencies on critical documents such as certificates of payment, certificates of registration and official receipts.
It also mandates the creation of a joint task force to lead enforcement operations against unlawfully imported vehicles, including those that were misclassified or misdeclared, or were in violation of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) and other related laws.
The BOC said the agreement aims to deter fraudulent practices, curb unfair competition, and protect vital government revenues for national development.
“This mutual cooperation with the LTO reinforces our shared goal of ensuring transparency, efficiency, and strict compliance with customs laws and other government regulations. By working together, we want to make sure that every vehicle import and registration process is handled with the highest standards of integrity,” said BOC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno.
To solidify the partnership, LTO assistant secretary Markus Lacanilao turned over a recently intercepted unit of a Lamborghini Urus to the BOC.
The BOC and the LTO are expected to form a joint technical working group within 30 days to develop and implement the necessary rules and guidelines for the effective enforcement of the agreement.
