Villar seeks ban on low-numbered protocol plates

MANILA, Philippines – Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. is calling for a ban on the use of low-numbered protocol license plates by all government officials except the President.

Villar, in his Senate Bill 2590, said a lot of the public officials abuse these protocol plates by disregarding the traffic rules and regulations, oftentimes accompanied by armed uniformed escorts.

He said the owners of these low-numbered protocol plates expect “regular” cars to “part like the Red Sea.”

“Many high-ranking government officials and middle-level bureaucrats today are guilty of this as they roam our streets like members of royalty in heavily-tinted vehicles sporting low-numbered car plates,” Villar said.

Villar also quoted former senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr., the original author of the bill, who said “these people evoke a false impression that these favored few are exempt and insulated from the reach of traffic rules and regulations.”

The bill calls for the withdrawal of all low-numbered plates starting from “2” all the way down to the numbers being assigned to Cabinet members and bureau directors.

A significant number of the protocol plates are being used on multiple vehicles, particularly by the members of the House of Representatives who use the “8” plate.

Some of these legislators use the plates on several vehicles, including those used by their immediate family members.

The abuses committed by the users of these plates have prompted angry reactions from motorists who often have to deal with threats from the drivers and security aides of the vehicle owners.

For the same reason, President Aquino issued a directive prohibiting the use of sirens and blinkers on all vehicles. He also ordered the apprehension of related violations such as traffic counterflows.

Under Villar’s bill, any person found using the low-numbered license plates would face a fine of P10,000 to P50,000 or imprisonment of one month to six months.

Any official of the Land Transportation Office who paved the way for the issuance of these plates would also face the same penalties.

Apart from the President, only the representatives of foreign states such as the ambassadors, as provided by any treaty, agreement or protocol sanctioned by international law or practice would also be exempted from the ban.

It was clarified that the exemption would not apply to representatives of foreign states or international organizations that do not grant Filipino diplomatic representatives similar privileges.

“Public office is a public trust. Public officers and employees must at all times be accountable to the people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty and efficiency, act with patriotism and justice and lead modest lives,” Villar said.