LTO-12 to auction 500 unclaimed motor vehicles

GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- The Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Region 12 (Soccsksargen) will auction next month at least 504 impounded motor vehicles that were not redeemed by their owners.

Robert Kiunisala, LTO-12 assistant director, said Wednesday the processing is ongoing for the auction of the vehicles, which include motorcycles, taxi units, and vans that were apprehended as of Dec. 30, 2018.

Kiunisala said they will auction on July 10-11 an initial 246 motor vehicle units at their regional office in Koronadal City.

The auction will cover vehicles that were apprehended by its district offices in Polomolok and Surallah towns and Koronadal City in South Cotabato; Cotabato City; and, Kabacan and Midsayap towns and Kidapawan City in North Cotabato, he said.

He said another auction will be conducted on July 17-18 at the LTO district office here, covering some 258 vehicles apprehended in the city and nearby Sarangani province.

Kiunisala said the upcoming auctions are in compliance with the provisions of Republic Act 1729, which authorizes the agency to "dispose of impounded motor vehicles unclaimed by owners for a certain period of time."

"We can auction unclaimed motor vehicles that have unpaid penalties of at least six months since their apprehension," he told reporters.   

He said the prices of the vehicles will depend on their models and quality, and will follow the price ceiling set by the Commission on Audit.

Before subjecting the unclaimed motor vehicles to auction, he said they followed various processes as set by government regulations.

The viewing of these unclaimed motor vehicles covered by the two auctions and securing of bid permits started last June 15, he added. (PNA)