[ CUSTOMS MEMORANDUM ORDER NO. 16-2005, March 29, 2005 ]
ENJOINING VESSELS AND OTHER CARRIERS NOT TO ACCEPT RIGHT HAND DRIVE MOTOR VEHICLES PURSUANT TO REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8506
SECTION 1 . Quoted hereunder is Section 1 of Republic Act 8506 entitled AN ACT BANNING THE REGISTRATION AND OPERATION OF VEHICLES WITH RIGHT-HAND STEERING WHEEL IN ANY PRIVATE OR PUBLIC STREET, ROAD OR HIGHWAY, PROVIDING PENALTIES THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES:
"It shall be unlawful for any person to import, cause the importation of, register, cause the registration of, use, or operate any vehicle with its steering wheel right-hand side thereof in any highway, street or road, whether private or public or of the national or local government except such vehicles that are acknowledged as vintage automobiles, manufactured before 1960, in showroom condition, and/or are to be utilized exclusively for officially and legally sanctioned motorsports events, and off-road special purpose vehicles." (emphasis supplied)
SECTION 2. The same RA 8506 law imposes the penalty of prision correccional in its medium period and a fine of fifty thousand pesos (P50,000) shall be imposed upon any person violating the provisions thereof.
SECTION 3. All shipping/air lines and other common carriers are enjoined to observe strictly the provisions of RA 8506 by not accepting Right-Hand Drive (RHD) vehicles and/or any auto parts for use with RHD vehicles as cargo destined to any Port of Entry in the Philippines, under pain of criminal prosecution for violation of RA 8506.
SECTION 4. In the event that RHD or RHD parts are discovered in any vessel, such items will not be unloaded, or if already unloaded same shall be placed under continuous underguarding until loaded and re-exported back to the country of origin at the expense of the carrying vessel subject further to the imposition of applicable penalties by the Bureau of Customs.
SECTION 5. All District/Port Collectors are hereby directed to inform all shipping/air lines calling at their Ports of this Order and to strictly enforce this Order accordingly.
SECTION 6 . Any order, memoranda, or issuance inconsistent with this Order is hereby repealed accordingly.
SECTION 7. This Order takes effect immediately.
Adopted: 29 March 2005
(SGD.)ALBERTO D. LINA
Commissioner