The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has issued a show-cause order to a government agency after one of its vehicles was caught on video using a suspected fake or improvised red license plate.
LTO chief Markus Lacanilao announced Sunday that both the driver and an authorized representative of the unnamed agency must appear before the LTO Central Office’s Intelligence and Investigation Division on 13 May.
The investigation was launched after a social media post showed a Ford Explorer traveling on a public road with an unauthorized plate. LTO records indicate the vehicle was last registered on 11 April 2025.
"No one — whether a private individual or a government agency — is exempt from the enforcement of traffic laws and LTO regulations," Lacanilao said.
The agency and its driver face administrative charges for the use of an unauthorized improvised plate and failure to comply with compulsory registration.
The driver is also facing charges of reckless driving and being an improper person to operate a motor vehicle.
As a result of the incident, the LTO has preventively suspended the driver’s license for 90 days and placed the vehicle under an alarm status. The driver was ordered to surrender the license immediately.
The show-cause order warns that a failure to attend the scheduled 2 p.m. hearing will be considered a waiver of the right to be heard, and the office will resolve the case based on available evidence.
Lacanilao stressed that government agencies should set an example for the public by strictly adhering to traffic laws and registration requirements.