LTO-6 intensifies crackdown on colorum vehicles

By Jennifer P. Rendon

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) – Region 6 has warned of hefty penalties and/or imprisonment against operators and drivers of colorum vehicles.

Atty. Gaudioso Geduspan II, LTO-6 officer-in-charge, stated that they have assigned a special colorum team (SCT) to intensify the crackdown on colorum vehicles in Western Visayas.

Colorum refers to vehicles that operate without the necessary permits or proper authorization from relevant government agencies.

He added that the team is actively conducting casing, surveillance, and arrest operations against violators.

“Again, colorum is a crime. From the merely administrative penalty, colorum operation now entails criminal liability,” Geduspan said.

The amendment to the Republic Act 11659 or the Public Service Act has criminalized colorum operations, he added.

Before, “we just impound vehicles and let the owner pay the penalty of P200,000. But since it is already criminalized, there is already an arrest and cases to be filed for criminal liability,” Geduspan said.

If proven guilty, the violator will face imprisonment of 6 years and one day up to 10 years.

A conviction would also mean a penalty of up to P2 million, on top of the administrative fine.

Geduspan also stressed that vehicles impounded as a result of law enforcement operations will not be released despite the payment of fines by the registered owner.

A court order is the only means for the impounded colorum vehicles to be released.

Recently, the LTO-6 arrested five persons for colorum operations.

The most recent arrest was of Rocky Joevic Agting, 38, a resident of Barangay Catmon, Sibalom, Antique.

He was apprehended at the Iloilo International Airport in Cabatuan town on July 12.

LTO-6 reports indicated that an informant from Antique alerted the SCT about unauthorized vans continuing to operate from Antique to Iloilo.

SCT personnel visited the makeshift terminal at Barangay Funda-Dalipe, San Jose Antique, to verify the informant’s report.

Upon confirmation, a team member posed as a passenger and boarded the van with other passengers heading to Iloilo International Airport. The driver charged P500 per passenger.

The other team members flagged down the vehicle at the Iloilo International Airport.

Upon inspection, the van was identified as a tourist vehicle but was operating differently from its authorized denomination and route.

The driver also presented the vehicle’s expired OR/CR.

He claimed that the updated documents were left behind but could not provide them upon request, resulting in another violation of RA 4136 for operating an unregistered motor vehicle.

Agting was later turned over to the Cabatuan Municipal Police Station.

Relatedly, Geduspan mentioned they also talked to terminal operators not to allow colorum vehicles to use their facilities.

“We might be compelled to also drag them to court if we find out they would collude with colorum operators,” he said.

Meanwhile, Geduspan asked the riding public not to patronize colorum vehicles.

“If they are flagged down and arrested, it would cause inconvenience for you,” he said.

In the event of a road crash, he added, they would not be entitled to insurance pay.