Gordon alarmed over bidding of P500M worth of screws for LTO's new standard license plates

Senator Richard Gordon on Sunday expressed alarm over the allegedly anomalous bidding of P500 million worth of screws supplied by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to be used for new standard license plate designs.

In a Dobol B TV interview, Gordon said this scheme could be used as an avenue for kickbacks, since it entails that vehicle owners should buy only those supplied by the LTO.

"Ang lumalabas sa akin P500 million. Binayad 'yan doon sa supplier. Alam mo na, may kickback 'yan. Sigurado ako kung ganyan ang sinasabi nila," he said.

"Para bumili, kailangan gamitin niyo ito kung hindi liable 'yung may-ari ng kotse, liable ang may-ari ng motorsiklo sapagkat 'yan ay may fine pang kasama," he added.

The LTO, in June 2015, issued Memorandum Circular AVT-2015-1949 in relation to the implementation of its Motor Vehicle Plate Standardization Program, stating that "specially designed bolts/self tapping screws (Plate Locks)" have been issued to ensure proper attachment of license plates on vehicles.

"Failure to use the specified plate locks and/or the use of any other bolt/screws other than those supplied by the LTO for the new standard license plate design shall constitute improper attachment thereof and shall be ground for being penalized with a fee of P5,000," the memorandum read.

Gordon, however, questioned the need to specify the screws to use for license plates.

"You are making preference. Puwede ka naman kumuha ng [sarili mong] turnilyo, mababawasan ang presyo sa tao, 'di ba?" he said.

"E kung 23 million 'yan pati kotse, ang laki-laking pera. I-compute mo na lang sa P12 apat na turnilyo, sa kotse dalawa ang plaka, sa harap at likod, malaking pera na 'yan," he added.

The Senate blue ribbon committee, chaired by Gordon, is looking into the issues involving license plates as it conducts an inquiry into the supposedly slow implementation of the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act.

The law, signed by President Rodrigo Duterte in March 2019, essentially aims to prevent the use of motorcycles in crimes by mandating bigger plates and other identification marks.

In the same interview, Gordon said the panel may recommend graft or even plunder charges against former and current transportation officials over the delay in the issuance of license plates.

Sought for comment, LTO chief Edgar Galvante said the agency had no such contract at present.

"Wala namang ganyang contract presently, baka noong previous administration. Noong hearing, yuon ang itinatanong niya sa dating USec ng DOTC," he said in a mobile message, referring to the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC). —With a report from Jon Viktor Cabuenas/KG, GMA News