Personnel of the Land Transportation Office (LTO), backed by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) confiscated more than 65 right-hand drive motor vehicles in a raid on an autoparts supply store in Talisay City in Cebu on Monday, June 9.

LTO chief, Assistant Secretary Vigor D. Mendoza II, said a female Peruvian was held under custody over her links to the importation of right-hand motor vehicles and the illegal assembly and sale in the country.

Based on the initial investigation, the right-hand drive vehicles were imported and later assembled in the country before they were sold.

Continued Operations Against Illegal Imports

The LTO has been conducting aggressive operations against the importation of right-hand drive vehicles and their assembly and sale in the country following the discovery of the store in Quezon City last month.

Following the raid in Quezon City, three more autoshops based in Davao were also raided and yielded over 40 right-hand drive vehicles.

Connected Illegal Activity

“These stores appear to be all connected. That is why (Special Envoy on Transnational Crime) Ambassador (Markus) Lacanilao was here with us as part of the thorough investigation into this illegal activity because there were reports that this is run by at least one foreigner,” said Mendoza.

Mendoza earlier ordered an investigation on an LTO office in Mindanao which was accused of having facilitated the registration of the illegally-assembled right-hand drive motor vehicles.

Legal Framework

Under the Republic Act 8506, or An Act Banning the Registration and Operation of Vehicles With Right-Hand Steering Wheel in any Private or Public Street, Road or Highway, the mere presence of right-hand vehicles in the country is illegal as they should not have been imported in the first place.

The law states that “It shall be unlawful for any person to import, cause the importation of, register, cause the registration of, use, or operate any vehicle with its steering wheel right-hand side thereof in any highway, street or road, whether private or public or of the national or local government.”

Source: Manila Bulletin.