DOTr officials lose protocol plates after undersecretary yields illegal no. ‘10’
Acting Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez ordered on Monday the revocation of protocol license plates issued to officials of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and its attached agencies.
In a memorandum order, Lopez said that while the Land Transportation Office (LTO) is reviewing Joint Administrative Order No. 2024-001, “all previously-issued authorization to use protocol license plates given to officials of the DOTr central office, including its sectoral and attached agencies and corporations” are revoked.
“Thus, all concerned officials shall surrender the protocol license places issued to them, and the LTO shall undertake the necessary coordination and measures to implement the directive,” the acting DOTr chief added.
Lopez further said that the concerned officials are prohibited from using sirens, blinkers and similar devices in their motor vehicles in compliance with Administrative Order No. 18 issued by President Marcos.
In hot water
He issued the memorandum after he ordered Transportation Undersecretary for Special Concerns Ricky Alfonso to explain his use of a vehicle with unauthorized blinkers and a number “10” protocol plate. The plate is issued to high-ranking members of the judiciary branch.
Based on a check, the LTO found out that the license plate was not registered to the vehicle used by Alfonso, a gray Lexus. Alfonso later said he had relieved his driver, who was caught in a viral video punching another driver on the head, for getting in the way of the DOTr official’s vehicle on Katipunan Avenue last week.
Under Executive Order No. 56 order issued by President Marcos, only the following government officials are authorized to use protocol license plates with the corresponding numbers: President (protocol plate no. 1); Vice President (2), Senate President (3), House of Representatives Speaker (4), Supreme Court Chief Justice (5), Cabinet secretaries (6), Senators (7), House members (8), Associate Justices of the Supreme Court (9), presiding Justices of the Court of Appeals (10), presiding Justices of the Court of Tax Appeals (10), presiding Justices of the Sandiganbayan (10), Solicitor General (10), Chairs of Constitutional Commissions (11), Ombudsman (11), Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (14) and Chief of the Philippine National Police (14).
The executive order also said that “all other officials with equivalent rank as the above-authorized officials” may be allowed to use protocol license plates based upon the recommendation of the LTO and the approval of the transportation secretary.
