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Traffic Management Office 9 chief Supt. Cristeto Rey Gonzalodo yesterday disclosed that the Starex van they confiscated last month is still impounded at his headquarters for further investigation as the owner could not present proper documents of the vehicle. Gonzalodo said the vehicle was seized from an employee of the city government and is under the name of a businesswoman whose identity has been withheld for further verification. The TMO9 chief disclosed that the vehicle was apprehended by his men at a checkpoint in the city proper a month ago.
Gonzalodo added that the van owner had earlier presented papers but it doesn’t match with the vehicle’s engine and chassis numbers. He said the owner claimed that the vehicle was registered in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi but when he sent his men to check, they found it negative. Gonzalodo said his office had already coordinated with the Land Transportation Office in Manila to verify the record of the suspicious van, but LTO no records on it. He added that the vehicle is not also registered in the region. “Under the law, if you can not present any documents and if you can not explain the source of the vehicle, the vehicle came from illegal source and corresponding charges will be filed later on,” Gonzalodo said. Gonzalodo said his office has invited the owner to see him on Friday for investigation. Meanwhile, Gonzalodo has also urged his men assigned in the field to be courteous in apprehending traffic violators. Gonzalodo said he had taught his men to be always respectful during apprehension and tell first the violators what their violations are. — Dan Toribio Jr.
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