Dealers seek TRO vs used car imports

Local automotive dealers are planning to seek a temporary restraining order (TRO) against importers of second-hand vehicles in an effort to test the legality of the law allowing the importation of second-had vehicles.

This was disclosed over the weekend by Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) chairman Frank M. Nacua and TMA president Elizabeth Lee.

Expected to file the suit is the Philippine Automotive Association..

Both Nacua and Lee said that the local automotive industry are tired of the unending dialogues with government with no concrete action.

They said the government have been talking with the automotive industry since November 2000 and " yet there has been no finality and position on the second-hand vehicle importations."

Nacua and Lee said there are still about 15,000 second-hand vehicles held by the Bureau of Customs in the port of Manila alone.

"Government should resolve the second-hand vehicle importation once and for all before the government implements a new excise tax policy," Nacua and Lee stated.

They pointed out that these two issues would put additional pressure to the industry which is already reeling from low vehicle sales due to high prices caused by excise tax

"The DTI have been trying to do something against the importation of second-hand vehicles," Nacua and Lee said. "However, its (DTI) hands are tied with regard to the continued importation within the freeports," they added.