Mitsubishi PHL calls for third-party evaluation to settle Montero issue

Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. (MMPC) on Tuesday said getting a credible and completely independent third party is the best way to resolve the allegations that Montero Sport is plagued by sudden unintended acceleration (SUA).

Because of the opposing views of the complainants and the vehicle's distributor, and reports of a possible recall order from the Department of Trade and Industry, hiring a third party to evaluate such allegations may be the way to settle the matter, MPPC said in an emailed statement.

The 97 vehicles that supposedly exhibited SUAs were thoroughly evaluated by MMPC and Mitsubishi Motors Corp. of Japan and found nothing wrong with them, MMPC First Vice President Froilan Dytianquin said.

Several complainants, however, remained unconvinced and have asked for a recall.

"At this point, we believe such a recall order is not called for. That is why we have been pushing for a third party to settle the issue," Dytianquin said in an emailed statement.

"A recall order is issued when a defect has been found. If there is none, there is nothing to check and correct," he said.

Recalling the units will "significantly affect the businesses of our dealers and their thousands of employees and their families," the Mitsubishi official noted.

"The perceived solution will create unintended and even bigger problems," he added.

The Montero Sport units were all made in Thailand, and problems noted in the Philippine should have also manifested in the units sold in other countries, Dytianquin emphasized.

"There are zero SUA allegations in other ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries and they carry the same units we have here," he said.

Effect on business

MMPC intends to seek a review by the Department of Trade and Information regarding the department's supposed inclination to issue a recall order.

"Its effect on the business of MMPC, its dealers, ancillary industries, their employees, and even the image of the Philippines as an investment destination will be severely affected," Dytianquin said.

He questioned the timing of the supposed SUAs, with MMPC is set to launch its all-new Montero Sport model.

"Now that we are about to launch our all-new Montero Sport, the SUA issue suddenly cropped up again. We are not accusing anybody. We are only raising some questions because the timing of these stories is suspect," he said.

In an earlier statement, MMPC declared the Montero Sport is safe and completely dependent on driver action and reaction. 

"MMPC would like to assure the public that the Montero Sport is neither defective nor unsafe to use," the company said.

MMPC senior manager Arlan Antonio Reyes Jr. also took television crews and reporters on a short ride inside the company compound in Sta. Rosa, Laguna last week to prove that there was nothing wrong with the Montero Sport. 

The demonstration was organized by the carmaker during the visit of a DTI investigating panel that was formed after 97 SUA incidents supposedly happened.

Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Neri J. Colmenares in November asked the House of Representatives to investigate what was happening. – Jon Viktor Cabuenas/VS, GMA News