Fixers have always plagued the clients of the Land Transportation Office (LTO), becoming a perpetual pain in the backside for the agency. Previous administrations have tried to do something about them, but they always seem to rear their ugly heads back up again.
QCDACT and LTO's IID catches two online fixers
Newly appointed LTO officer-in-charge Romeo Vera Cruz recently showed that he meant business with regards to cracking down on fixers, with the agency managing to arrest a few since he has taken the helm.
Through a press release, the LTO says that it has managed to track down a team of online fixers who were offering motorists a non-appearance renewal of their car registration. In other words, they're peddling an illegal, albeit arguably convenient way of renewing one’s car registration without actually going to a nearby LTO branch.
More specifically, this was a violation of Article 315 of the Revised Penal Code on swindling and deceit, as well as RA 11032, or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018. In this particular case, the violations for the above were also related to Section 6 RA 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, as the fixers entertained would-be clients and received payment online.
The said fixer team was arrested via a joint operation consisting of two government entities. These include the LTO Investigation and Intelligence Division, and the Quezon City-Diliman Anti-Cybercrime Team.
Hopefully, the LTO does find a way to rid itself of this problem
Those who were arrested were identified as Arnel Miranda, a resident of Fairview Quezon City, and Jefferson Uy, a resident of Pleasant Hills, Bulacan. The two fixers will undergo inquest proceedings at the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office.
With all that said, Mr. Vera Cruz has requested LTO clients to avoid patronizing these fixers. After all, “it is for your own protection.” He also added that even motorists could also be held liable under the law when availing of these services.
At the same time, the new LTO OIC also gave a warning to employees and other individuals to avoid engaging in fixing activities. If they are found out, they will be prosecuted “under the full force of the law.”
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