MANILA, Philippines — Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla raised serious concerns on Saturday, September 26, against the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the Insurance Commission over alleged irregularities surrounding mandatory third-party liability insurance and vehicle emission testing procedures.
Speaking during his weekend radio broadcast, Remulla accused involved parties of establishing a cartel that prioritizes financial gain over extending actual support to vehicular accident victims attempting to claim their insurance benefits.
“The problem is, what we really need to watch out for is the concept of third-party liability insurance. They formed a cartel, which is why the Insurance Commission is having problems,” Remulla said.
Remulla argued that the current setup fails to offer adequate guidance or frontline assistance to help victims process their claims when accidents happen on the road.
”The problem is, when a person gets into an accident, there is no service or assistance [from the LTO]. They are only concerned with money,” he stated.
”Especially now, when a motorcycle is hit by a car, shouldn’t third-party liability insurance apply? How can they make a claim? Have you ever seen a police officer tell someone, ‘Go ahead and claim insurance for your injury’?” Remulla added.
The Ombudsman further criticized both government bodies for focusing on revenue collection rather than enforcing consumer protection and claimant support.
“That’s the problem with the LTO; it’s all about money. That’s wrong. The Insurance Commission is also all about money,” he remarked.
Beyond the insurance issue, Remulla called out the LTO regarding alleged “non-appearance” schemes involving Private Motor Vehicle Inspection Centers (PMVICs), pointing to unverified testing practices as a key factor driving air pollution.
“The emissions testing is not actually being conducted. It’s a non-appearance arrangement,” he stressed.
“At least have them tested after five years or after 10 years. All of them should be tested,” he added.
Remulla observed that several designated inspection centers report up to 5,000 completed emission tests per month, a figure he suggested exceeds the physical capacity and actual number of vehicles undergoing genuine evaluation.