The Land Transportation Office (LTO) on Thursday said it has summoned the owner of a Cebu-based company for its involvement in the importation and sale of right-hand vehicles. 

LTO Chief, Assistant Secretary Atty. Vigor D. Mendoza II said a show cause order (SCO) was already issued to the Cebu Titan Supplies as part of the ongoing investigation into the confiscated right-hand vehicles during a raid in Quezon City last week.

“We already issued an order for the preventive suspension for 90 days of the accreditation of this company amid the ongoing investigation. We want to ferret out the truth regarding this disregard of the law and part of this is to hear from them in the interest of due process,” Mendoza said.

The investigation started when the LTO’s Intelligence and Investigation headed by Renante Melitante, backed by operatives of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD), raided the warehouse of the motor vehicle store after it was monitored on social media advertising the sale of imported vehicles. 

During the conduct of actual inspection, the team spotted several second-hand right drive motor vehicles. The LTO documents, including certificates of registration, were confiscated for further investigation, along with two right-hand drive trucks.

The presence of the LTO documents prompted Mendoza to order a thorough investigation and at the course of the probe, the name of the Cebu Titan Supplies came out as the importer of the second-hand, right-hand vehicles.

In the SCO signed by LTO executive director Atty. Greg Pua Jr., the Cebu-based company was tasked to explain in writing the intelligence and initial investigation reports stating that it committed fraud and misrepresentation in the filing of application and its operations, including stock and sales reporting.

Based on the investigation, the company appeared to have processed the Sales Reporting and Initial Registration of four imported right-hand vehicles in Mindanao.

“In this connection, you are directed to submit your verified answer within five (5) days from receipt of this Order, providing an explanation why no disciplinary action should be taken against your accreditation,” the SCO read.

“Failure to submit an answer within the aforesaid period shall be deemed a waiver and this Office shall resolve the case based on the evidence at hand and may impose penalties prescribed under said LTO Administrative Orders which includes suspension/cancellation of accreditation and fine,” it added.

Mendoza, for his part, stressed that the mere presence of right-hand vehicles in the country is illegal as they should not have been imported in the first place.