'MAY LABAN NA ANG MAMAMAYAN!' GORDON FIGHTS FOR THE POOR AS PROBE ON DELAYED IMPLEMENTATION OF MOTORCYCLE CRIME PREVENTION LAW RESUMES

Senator Richard J. Gordon, Chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, stressed on Thursday that the public should be protected from unscrupulous motorcycle dealers who take advantage of the current sales scheme by not providing buyers with ownership papers such as the Official Receipt and Certificate of Registration.

During the resumption of the Blue Ribbon investigation on the delayed implementation of RA 11235, authored by Gordon, he said that the scheme, tagged as the MAIRDOEs (manufacturers, assemblers, importers, rebuilders, dealers, and other entities) system, oppresses the poor buyers who save hard to buy a motorcycle so they can move about and work to provide for the needs of their families.

"Kailangang proteksyunan ang mamamayang Pilipino. Imagine, nangangarap kang makabili ng motorsiklo para hindi ka na mamamasahe, hindi ka na mata-traffic sa pagpunta sa trabaho at maipapasyal mo ang iyong pamilya, pero 'yun pala, may bitag. Kapag hindi ka nakabayad, hihilahin na lang ang motor mo. Wala kang magawa dahil wala kang Certificate of Registration," Gordon said as he again brought up the unjust practices by some motorcycle dealers.

"Hindi dapat mahihila ang motorsiklo kung may Certificate of Registration na ibinibigay sa kanila ngunit hindi 'yan naibibigay kaya maraming motorsiklo ang nahihila lalo na ngayong panahon ng pandemya dahil marami ang nawalan ng trabaho at walang maibayad sa binili nilang motorsiklo. Kaya ang pinaghirapan nila ay nawala na lang bigla at si Juan ay lalong naghirap," he added.

The issue on the system was first brought up during the initial investigation on the late implementation of RA 11235 last February 8.

Through the Land Transportation Office (LTO) Administrative Order AVT 2014-024, the motorcycle manufacturers, assemblers, builders, dealers, and other groups were put together under the MEIRDOEs system, under which dealers are accredited to process the registration of newly-purchased vehicles, including motorcycles.

Gordon disclosed that he received numerous complaints from motorcycle owners that some MAIRDOEs get the installment money without giving the buyer ownership papers.

One of the complainants, Ramil Baraquil, appeared during the investigation. According to him, he bought a motorcycle unit in May 2019 from Premio Corporation in its Naga Branch in Cebu. He paid on installment basis, however, due to the pandemic, he lost his job as a service crew in a local fast food chain and was not able to pay for the amortization fees for several months, thus, his motorcycle was impounded.

Gordon then introduced Maricris Lopez, Vice President for Sales and Marketing of Premio to discuss the matter and come out with the most suitable solution to Baraquil's predicament.

"May loan moratorium of 60-day grace period from September to December 2020. Pagbigyan naman natin na kahit papaano, hintayin nating makatapos tayo sa COVID pero dapat mayroong kasulatan. Ang gusto niya (Baraquil) lang, makapaghanapbuhay. Kung hindi siya makakapaghanapbuhay, hindi rin kayo mababayaran. Each one of you will have to lean over backwards," he told Lopez.

Lopez then invited Baraquil to come to their Naga branch to discuss his payment options.

Meanwhile, Gordon stressed that the public should be given access to credit facilities of the government to help them pay for their liabilities especially during times of pandemic.

"Dapat ang gobyerno, buksan ang Landbank, ang development o rural banks, na kung hindi makabayad ang mga tao during this time, makahiram doon. 'Yan ang naiisip kong legislation para hind malulugi 'yung nagbebenta ng motorsiklo at ganun din ang buyer dahil bilang gobyerno, aalalayan niya ang mamamayan. Ang gobyerno ay dapat para sa tao," said Gordon.