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Lawmaker seeks new probe of Montero’s sudden unintended acceleration


A lawmaker has asked Congress to investigate on the frequent sudden unintended acceleration (SUA) incidents involving Mitsubishi Montero sport utility vehicles (SUVs) to determine if the Department of Trade and Industry should pull it out of the market.

House Resolution 2531 filed by Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Neri Colmenares on Wednesday called on the House Committee on Trade and Industry to look into the incidents of SUAs because of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) alleged failure to act on the complaints filed by affected motorists, and to conduct safety inspections.

In seeking a congressional probe, Colmenares said that Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. admitted in a hearing in May that it had recorded 97 cases of SUAs involving the Montero model. Some of the incidents, the lawmaker said, had resulted in the deaths of four individuals.

Following the earlier probe, the House committee adopted the motion to recommend that the public stop buying Montero Sport units and urged the DTI to order and pull out the vehicle model in the market until the SUA issue has been resolved.

MMPC, however, has maintained through an official statement that SUA claims involving the Montero Sport model are without basis and that the vehicles are safe to use.

The car manufacturer also argued that an investigation by engineers of Mitsubishi Motors Japan in 2011 showed that all the Mitsubishi Montero components—the fuel injection system, pedal, Engine Control Unit, wiring harness, engine throttle system and software—are operating normally within their specifications and have undergone extensive testing before mass production.

To curb these incidents, MMPC encouraged Montero drivers and owners to read the owner’s manual for proper driving procedures.

Despite Congress’ scrutiny of these incidents, Colmenares said reports continue to be made about certain Montero vehicles experiencing SUAs. For instance, he said former Sta. Maria, Bulacan Mayor Jesus Mateo, who owned two Montero Sport, recalled that their his SUV accidentally smashed through a wall due to SUA.

The lawmaker believes the reports only prove the DTI’s “continuous neglect” to investigate and inspect the safety aspects of commercial vehicles. He argued that the agency is unable to hold MMPC and other car manufacturers liable for errors in their vehicles because of its own failure to properly conduct and institute safety inspections.

He said the DTI has so far failed to exercise its power under the 1992 Consumer Act to pull out defective products from the market if it is found to be dangerous or unsafe.

“[T]he unregulated and uninspected motor vehicle production and trade in the country illustrates the need to review the 1992 Consumer Act; to not only make it more comprehensibly akin to the prevailing industry practices, but as well comprehensibly institute more stringent measures that protect our consumers and promote public safety,” Colmenares said. -Xianne Arcangel/NB, GMA News

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