LTO: Vehicle driven by Deakin’s son lacked valid registration

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) said the vehicle driven by the son of vlogger and automotive reviewer James Deakin did not have the required registration documents when it was flagged for a traffic violation.

LTO Chief Markus Lacanilao said the driver was only able to present documents from the vehicle’s importer, which are not recognized as valid proof of registration. The incident stemmed from a traffic stop after the vehicle allegedly crossed double solid yellow lines, for which a reckless driving citation was issued.

This came after Deakin publicly criticized what he described as a flawed LTO system, questioning why his son was cited for reckless driving instead of improper lane change or disobeying traffic signs.

In a press briefing on Wednesday, January 7, Lacanilao stressed that the vehicle had no Official Receipt and Certificate of Registration (OR/CR) or valid sales invoice.

“Ang kanyang papel na dala-dala ay hindi nga po sales invoice, hindi rin ORCR. Totally, wala pong papel ‘yung sasakyan kasi ‘yung papel na dala-dala nila is papel from the importer to the dealer,” Lacanilao said.

He added, “‘Yan ay hindi pa naibebenta sa labas, sa tao, at hindi ‘yan dapat minamaneho sa kalye kasi walang kaukulang papeles.”

Under LTO rules, vehicles must be properly registered and must carry valid OR/CR documents before they can be legally driven on public roads. The agency has repeatedly reminded motorists that importer or dealer papers alone do not authorize road use.