Res Gestae
Unauthorized plates
Any vehicle traversing our highways without the necessary plate clearly violates the “No Plate, No Travel” policy of the Philippine National Police. The problem nowadays, however, is not only limited to the deliberate use of vehicles without plates. Use of vanity or commemorative plates is also rampant and it is unauthorized. Certainly, the use of these plates other than the plates issued by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) is still tantamount to having “no plates.”
I assume the issuance of vehicle plates is under the exclusive jurisdiction of LTO. Hence, any plate attached on your cars, even if you adorned said plate with diamonds and precious metals, is unauthorized.
While some do it as remembrance, others use the vanity and commemorative plate to perpetrate a crime. Similar to “no plate” vehicle, vanity or commemorative plate on a get-a-away car of criminals or any car being used to accomplish an illegal activity may be hard to identify or trace.
The LTO does not have records of vanity or commemorative plates. Most of these plates were salvaged from the junkyards in foreign countries. Well, it is given that many of us, if not all, are fond of souvenirs or mementos once we visit a certain place, especially foreign countries. For some (especially the males who have cars), vehicle plates are the favorite keepsakes. But, locally, unauthorized plates are also fabricated not as tokens but to show-off.
Yes, we saw many cars with plates having inscriptions that “shout” one’s title or profession. Definitely, one can’t tell that a person on board a CRV, Fortuner, Innova, name it... is a Congressman, Governor, lawyer or a Municipal Mayor! And such is a big NO! NO! for many of these people.
Whenever I see a car bearing a plate with MAYOR inscribed on it and, yes, in BOLD letters, I am really disgusted. Irritated. Exasperated. What comes into my mind is that either this Mayor boasts the trust and confidence of his constituents that put him in power, which he needs not to; or, indirectly threatens a traffic police or auxiliary cop of re-assignment or non-extension of term, as the case maybe, once the latter intercept or apprehend him for violations of traffic rules. Worse, it likewise implies to me an unreasonable assertion of their “better” rights than other motorists over our highways! Same feeling is true once I am tailing with a car bearing a GOVERNOR or LAWYER plate.
Regardless of my personal perception, still the use of vanity or commemorative plates is unauthorized for it has adverse effects in our safety and security. Therefore, you may not share the feelings I have towards the use of unauthorized plates, you must at least be with me in supporting the campaign of our police against vehicles with unauthorized plates!
Our rule is: SAFETY FIRST!
(Send your comments and suggestions to rogatepnp@yahoo.com).