THE power of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to impound are granted under the law, according to LTO chief Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II.
He said that the agency’s impounding powers are granted under Presidential Decree 1729, which was signed back in 1980 by then-President Ferdinand Marcos, Sr., and recognized under Republic Act 4136, or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code.
These were the remarks given by Mendoza when he appeared before the House Committee on Transportation on Friday, December 1. He pointed out that PD 1729 impliedly recognized the impounding powers of the LTO chief.
Citing the presidential decree, Mendoza said the inherent powers of the Traffic Adjudication Service of the LTO was granted to the chief and his deputies.
“The inherent powers of the Traffic Adjudication Service of the LTO has inherent powers by itself, distinct and separate, from the powers granted by law to the Assistant Secretary and his deputies,” he said upon the inquiry of 1-Rider Partylist Rep. Bonifacio Bosita.
As a result, Mendoza pointed out that the presidential decree was recognized in crafting Republic Act 4136, which created the-then Land Transportation Commission.
“If the presidential decree recognizes the impounding powers of LTO at that time, they already considered the provisions of RA 4136,” he added.
Last month, the LTO implemented a stricter “No Registration, No Travel” policy after records showed that millions of vehicles are still unregistered.