ILLEGAL DRIVER'S LICENSES. The Land Transportation Office in Davao Region (LTO-11) advises motorists to stay away from fixers. In a press conference in Davao City Wednesday (April 6, 2022), agency officials announced the confiscation of some 300 illegally-acquired licenses since last year, although they immediately clarify that the fake documents were obtained in other regions. (PNA photo by Christine Cudis)
DAVAO CITY – The Land Transportation Office in Davao Region (LTO-11) said it has not apprehended a single motorist in the region with an illegally-produced driving license, although residents from other regions have been caught with fake licenses.
“The region is very strict. We abide by the law, especially the Republic Act 10930 and guidelines from the Anti-Red Tape Authority,” LTO-11 Law Enforcement Division chief Thomas Edward Roales said in Wednesday’s press briefing at the Royal Mandaya Hotel here.
Republic Act 10930 seeks to rationalize and strengthen policies on driver's licenses by extending the validity period of drivers' licenses and penalizing acts in violation of its issuance and application.
Last year, Roales said they confiscated some 300 fake driver’s licenses in the Davao Region, which were acquired without accomplishing the requirements such as biometrics, proof of passing the practical driving course, and medical certificates.
Roales said the illegal licenses were obtained from neighboring regions, though he declined to elaborate on the apparent malpractice.
All confiscated fake licenses have been recommended for revocation by the issuing LTO regional offices, he said.
“There was an incident that one of the owners of the confiscated license sought help from a well-known vlogger who advocates road safety. He was asking to release the confiscated license of his colleague, but we stayed firm with our rules as we also got his colleague to confess that he obtained his license through a fixer,” Roales said.
In a previous media interview, LTO Assistant Secretary Edgar Galvante said the LTO will maintain fast and efficient processing of the driver’s license application to discourage applicants from resorting to unscrupulous individuals offering services for PHP4,500 as a fee.
"There is no need for fixers. They charge you PHP4,500 for something that should only be around PHP600 to PHP700. Let us not entertain this behavior," Galvante said.
He urged the public to report all illegal activities surrounding the driver's license application to the authorities. (PNA)
