DOTC alerted on erring smoke test centers

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) has been alerted about the discovery of a syndicate of erring private emission testing centers (PETCs) falsifying car smoke emission testing results and certificates.

Officials of DOTC-accredited PETC information technology (IT) firms operating at the Land Transportation Office (LTO) informed the DOTC, as well as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), that a National Bureau of Investigation raid led to the discovery of a syndicate that manufactures bogus smoke emission tests for motor vehicles whose owners are seeking renewal of their registration with the LTO.

PETC-IT providers ETC IT, Eurolink and RDMS reported to DOTC Secretary Jose de Jesus that the syndicate was allegedly led by Ed Rivera, the registered owner of PETCs Smoke in the City and Enviroguard.

Rivera’s PETCs are members of the Association of PETC Owners for Environmental Protection (APOEP) and Anikalikasan, they said. 

The PETC-IT firms alleged that the erring PETCs were known to upload data they gathered via the LTO direct connect facility operated by the agency’s computerization contractor, Stradcom.

“Time and again, we have stressed that the direct connect facility cannot address non-appearance testing,” they added.

The PETC-IT firms said they understand “that the DOTC and LTO are currently evaluating the entire PETC system” and they hope that the two government agencies will take the appropriate policy direction. They claimed that “PETCs engaging in non-appearance testing have definitely found a haven in the direct connect facility of Stradcom.”