LTO-7 would not apprehend unregistered firetrucks yet

Land Transportation Office regional director Alex Leyson yesterday said there would be no apprehensions yet of those firetrucks of the Bureau of Fire Protection-7 that have no registration but the office would notify the agency to register its vehicles to avoid future problems.

"There are risks kung ila nang ipadagan despite wala pa rehistro," Leyson said, adding that his office would send letters to other government agencies requesting that their respective unregistered vehicles, if there is any, should also be registered with LTO-7.

Leyson said that LTO-7 has been planning to create a taskforce to verify registration records of all government vehicles.

"We are very much willing to assist them para lang ma-rehistro ang ilang mga sakyanan. Lisod man sab kun atong itanggong ang mga firetrucks ilabi na kadtong mga marehistro basin wala nay moresponde sa mga sunog," Leyson said.

LTO-7 records showed that 54 firetrucks have been registered and BFP-7 had admitted that 48 of its firetrucks, eight of which are with Cebu City Fire Department, have no LTO-7 registration.

The admission came after a firetruck, with plate number SEY 173, of the Lahug Fire substation, hit seven vehicles and injured 20 commuters and drivers in a traffic smash up the other day on M.J. Cuenco Avenue.

LTO-7 enjoined fire officials to refrain from using firetrucks unless these are registered. - Ramil V. Ayuman