MANILA -The Land Transportation Office has issued a memorandum on April 27 emphasizing that confiscation of vehicle license plates by its law enforcers and deputized agents is prohibited.

The said order highlighted the Joint Administrative Order (JAO) 2014-01 which stipulates that “a driver's license, student permit, or motor vehicle can only be flagged if the apprehending law enforcer cannot immediately administer the relevant penalty to the vehicle or driver.”

"In all instances where the penalty includes the confiscation, suspension or revocation of a driver's license or student permit, as well as the suspension or revocation of the registration of a motor vehicle or impounding the motor vehicle, and the same cannot be immediately implemented, the driver's license, the student permit, or motor vehicle, as the case may be, shall be placed on alarm until the proper penalty may be implemented," states the JAO.

The memo also stated that LTO law enforcers and authorized agents are not authorized to confiscate license plates if they cannot impound the apprehended motor vehicles.

In a statement, LTO Chief Tugade said the agency's central command center can relay information about flagged motor vehicles to law enforcement officers in the field.

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