A motorcycle was placed under alarm by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) after its driver allegedly obscured its license plate to evade being penalized for potential violation of the No Contact Apprehension Policy (NCAP), unaware that what he did was already an infraction of the law.

LTO Acting Chief, lawyer Greg Pua Jr. said the agency issued a show cause order to the registered owner of the Honda Click motorcycle after a Facebook post went viral showing the vehicle’s license plate was being deliberately altered to avoid detection by traffic enforcement systems, including the NCAP.

“Ang mga ganitong gawain ay malinaw na paglabag sa ating batas. Hindi natin hahayaang makalusot ang mga driver na sadyang nagtatago ng kanilang pagkakakilanlan sa kalsada (These kinds of acts are clear violations of our laws. We will not allow drivers who deliberately hide their identity on the road to get away with it). Road safety is a shared responsibility, and we are committed to holding violators accountable,” Pua said on Tuesday, July 8.

The Facebook post showed an unidentified rider believed to be the driver of the motorcycle placing an electrical tape over the third digit of the license plate to obscure its full identification. The post, made last May 28, has since garnered over 9,500 reactions, 3,900 comments, and 1,200 shares.

The LTO believes it was done as part of a modus to evade apprehension under the NCAP, a system that relies on clear visibility of license plates for enforcement.

It said what the rider did was a clear violation of Section 18, Paragraph 2 of Republic Act No. 4136 or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code (Proper use of number plates) which states: “The number plates shall be kept clean and cared for, and shall be firmly affixed to the motor vehicle in such a manner as will make it entirely visible and always legible.”

As part of the investigation, the LTO ordered both the registered owner and the designated driver at the time of the incident to appear before the Intelligence and Investigation Division (IID) of the LTO Central Office in Quezon City.

They are likewise directed to submit a written comment or explanation as to why they should not be held administratively liable.

Further, the designated driver is required to explain why his driver’s license should not be suspended or revoked for being an Improper Person to Operate a Motor Vehicle, in accordance with Section 27(a) of RA 4136.

“This kind of behavior indicates intent to deceive enforcement authorities, which speaks volumes about a person’s fitness to operate a motor vehicle,” said Renante Melitante, LTO Intelligence and Investigation Division Chief.

Pending resolution of the case, the LTO has issued a preventive suspension of the driver's license of the designated driver for ninety days, effective immediately upon surrender of the said license. The license and the vehicle’s plate number are likewise placed under alarm, effectively preventing any LTO transactions during the investigation.

“Hindi tayo titigil hangga’t hindi napapanagot ang mga gumagawa ng ganitong klaseng panlilinlang (We will not stop until those who commit this kind of deception are held accountable). These deceptive tactics—especially those meant to circumvent the NCAP—put lives at risk and erode public trust in our traffic enforcement systems,” Pua said.

The LTO said that failure of the parties concerned to comply with the order to appear and explain themselves will be interpreted as a waiver of their right to be heard, and the case will be resolved based on available evidence. The LTO warned that harsher penalties may be imposed in the absence of a proper explanation.

The LTO continues to call on the public to report similar incidents and provide evidence to support the agency’s crackdown on colorum and rogue motorists.

“We welcome public cooperation in identifying violators. Isang ligtas at disiplinadong kalsada ang gusto nating makamtan para sa lahat (A safe and disciplined road is what we want to achieve for everyone),” Pua concluded.