"04 SEP -3 A9 150 
THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
Introduced by Senator Richard J. Gordon 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
With the prevalent use of motor vehicles in everyday life and the increasing 
incidence of carnapping and other motor vehicle related crimes, the need for a more 
effective and efficient system of penalizing and preventing these crimes arises. 
Republic Act Ng6539, as amended, otherwise known as the Anti-Carnapping Act of 
1972, penzlizes and prevents carnapping. Part of this law mandates the registration of 
motor vehicle engines, engine blocks and chassis. However, the present law does not 
mandate the registration of number plates as a means of identifying motor vehicles. 
Undoubtedly, the best way to identify and investigate a motor vehicle, especially one that 
has been the subject or object of a crime, is to start with an inquiry on its number plate. 
This bill proposes to mandate the inclusion of number plates in the registration of motor 
vehicles for identification and other purposes. 
This bill further seeks to update ihe r,nti-Carnapping Act of 1972 by re lacing the 
Philippine Constabulary and the Land Transportation Comrnission to the Philippi e National 
the net proceeds of the sales of abandoned motor vehicles be remitted to th 1 National 
Treasury instead of the Philippine National Police to prevent corruption and to generate 
additional revenues for the government. 
Police and the Land Transportation Office, respectively. Furthermore, this bill pr d oses that 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
'OS 
SEP -3 I1 c: 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S. No. 
1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
,. 
.. 
. - 
_. 
Introduced by Senator Richard J. Gordon 
AN ACT AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6539, AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN 
AS THE A N T I - C ~ R N A P ~ I N ~  
ACT OF 1972 
Be if enacted by the Senate and fhe House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Section 2 of Republic Act No. 6539, as amended, otherwise known as 
the Anti-Carnapping Act of 1972 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
"SEC. 2. Definifion of ferms. - The terms "carnapping," "motor 
vehicle," "defacing or tampering with," "repainting," "body-building,'' 
"remodelling," "dismantling," and "overhauling", as used in this Act, shall be 
understood, respectively, to mean - 
- 
x x x  
"Defacingor tampering with" a NUMBER PLATE OR serial number is 
the REMOVING, erasing, scratching, altering or changing of the 
IDENTIFICATION OF ANY MOTOR VEHICLE NUMBER PLATE OR original 
factory-inscribed serial number on the motor vehicle engine, engine block or 
chassis of any motor vehicle. Whenever any motor vehicle is found to have a 
serial number on its motor engine, encline block or chassis which is diffe ent 
from that which is listed in the records of the Bureau of Customs for m tor 
vehicles imported into the Philippines, that motor vehicle shall be consid red 
to have a defaced or tampered with serial number. 
"Repainting" is changing the color of a motor vehicle by means of 
painting. There is repainting whenever the new color of a motor vehicle is 
different from its color as registered in the Land Transportation [Commission] 
OFFICE. 
- 
I 
x x x  


/
.
 
.. . 
^-I 
~ 
1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
Sec. 2. Section 3 of Republic Act No. 6539, as amended, otherwise known as the 
Anti-Carnapping Act of 1972 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
"SEC. 3. Regisfrafion of MOTOR VEHICLE, mofor vehicle engine, 
engine block and chassis. - [Within one year after the approval of this Act, 
e]Every owner or possessor of [unregistered] A motor vehicle or parts thereof 
in knock down condition shall register with the Land 
[Commission] OFFICE the MOTOR VEHICLE, motor vehicle 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
x x x  
16 
17 
18 
"SEC. 4. Permanent registry of MOTOR VEHICLES, motor vehicle 
19 
engines, engine blocks and chassis. - The Land Transportation [Commission] 
20 
OFFICE shall keep a permanent registry of MOTOR VEHICLES, motor 
21 
vehicle engines, engine blocks and chassis of all motor vehicles, specifying 
therein INCLUDlNG BUT NOT LIMITED TO their type, make, [and] serial 
22 
23 
numbers AND NUMBER PLATES and stating therein the names and 
24 
addresses of their present and previous owners. Copies of the registry and of 
25 
all entries made thereon shall be furnished by the Philippine [Constabulary] 
26 
NATIONAL POLICE and all Land Transportation [Commission] OFFICE 
27 
regional, provincial and city branch offices: Provided, That all Land 
Transportation [Commission] OFFICE regional, provincial and city bra ch 
offices are likewise obliged to ftlrnish copies of all registrations of m tor 
vehicles to the main office and to the Philippine [Constabulary] NATIOYAL 
Sec. 4. Section 5 of Republic Act No. 6539, as amended, otherwise known as the 
block and chassis, in his name or in the name of the real owner who shall be 
readily available to answer any claim over the registered MOTOR VEHICLE, 
motor vehicle engine, engine block and chassis. [Thereafter, a]All MOTOR 
VEHICLES, motor vehicle engines, engine blocks and chassis not registered 
with the Land Transportation [Commission] OFFICE shall be considered as 
untaxed importation or coming from an illegal source or carnapped, and shall 
be confiscated in favor of the Government. 
Sec. 3. Section 4 of Republic Act No. 6539, as amended, otherwise known as the 
Anti-Carnapping Act of 1972 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
-. 
. 
6 
28 
29 
30 
31 
POLICE.'' 
32 
33 
Anti-Carnapping Act of 1972 is hereby amended to read as follows: 


1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
25 
26 
27 
28 
29 
30 
31 
32 
33 
“SEC. 5. Regisfration of sale, transfer, conveyance, substitution or 
replacement of a MOTOR VEHICLE, motor vehicle engine, engine block or 
chassis. - Every sale, transfer, conveyance, substitution or replacement of a 
MOTOR VEHICLE, motor vehicle engine, engine block or chassis of a motor 
vehicle shall be registered with the Land Transportation [Commission] 
OFFICE. Motor vehicles assembled and rebuilt or repaired by replacement 
with motor vehicle engines, engine blocks and chassis not registered with the 
Land Transportation [Commission] OFFICE shall not be issued certificates of 
registration and shall be considered as untaxed imported motor vehicles or 
motor vehicles carnapped or proceeding from illegal sources.” 
Sec. 5. Section 6 of Republic Act No. 6539, as amended, otherwise known as the 
.. 
.- - 
.-~. 
I ,  
,, 
“SEC. 6. Original Regisfrafion of motor vehicles. -Any person see ing 
the original registration of a. motor vehicle, whether that motor vehicle is n wly. 
assembled or rebuilt or acquired from a registered owner, shall within one 
week after the completion of the assembly or rebuilding job or the acquisition 
thereof from the registered owner, apply to the Philippine [Constabulary] 
NATIONAL POLICE for clearance of the motor vehicle for registration with the 
Land Transportation [Commission] OFFICE. The Philippine [Constabulary] 
NATIONAL POLICE shall, upon receipt of the application, verify if the motor 
vehicle or its numbered parts are in the list of carnapped motor vehicles or 
stolen motor vehicle parts, OR MOTOR VEHICLES USED IN THE 
COMMISSION OF CRIMES. If the motor vehicle or any of its numbered parts 
is not in that list, the Philippine [Constabulary] NATIONAL POLICE shall 
forthwith issue a certificate of clearance. Upon presentation of the certificate 
of clearance from the Philippine [Constabulary] NATIONAL POLICE and after 
verification of the registration of the MOTOR VEHICLE, motor vehicle engine, 
engine block and chassis in the permanent registry of motor vehicle engines, 
engine blocks -and -chassis,- the Land Transportation [Commission] OFFICE 
shall register the motor vehicle in accordance with existing laws, rules and 
regulations.” 
Sec. 6. Section 7 of Republic Act No. 6539, as amended, otherwise known as the 
I 
Anti-Carnapping Act of 1972 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
Anti-Carnapping Act of 1972 is hereby amended to read as follows: 


1 
“SEC. 7. Duty of Collectc; of Customs to report arrival of imported 
2 
motor vehicles, etc. - The Collector of Customs of a principal port of entry 
3 
where an imported motor vehicle, motor vehicle engine, engine block, chassis 
4 
or body is unloaded, shall within seven days after the arrival of the imported 
5 
motor vehicle or any of its parts enumerated herein, make a report of the 
6 
shipment to the Land Transportation [Commission] OFFICE, specifying the 
7 
make, type and serial numbers, if any, of the MOTOR VEHICLE, motor 
8 
vehicle engine, engine block and chassis or body, and stating the names and 
9 
addresses of the owner or consignee thereof. If the MOTOR VEHICLE, 
10 
motor vehicle engine, engine block, chassis or body does not bear any serial 
11 
number, the Collector of Customs concerned shall hold the MOTOR 
12 
VEHICLE, motor vehicle engine, engine block, chassis or body until it is 
13 
numbered by tke Land Transportation [Commission] OFFICE. 
14 
Sec. 7. Section 8 of Republic Act No. 6539, as amended, otherwise known as the 
15 
16 
“SEC. 8. Duty of importers, distributors and sellers of motor vehicles to 
17 
keep record of stocks. - Any person engaged in the importation, distribution, 
and buying and selling of motor vehicles, motor vehicle engines, en ine 
blocks, chassis or body, shall keep a permanent record of his stocks, st ing 
therein their type, make, [and] serial numbers AND NUMBER PLATES, nd 
the names and addresses of the persons from whom they were acquired 1 
nd 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
the names and addresses of the persons to whom they were sold, and shall 
23 
render an accurate monthly report of his transactions in motor vehicles to the 
24 
Land Transportation [Registration Commission] OFFICE.” 
25 
Sec. 8. Section 9 of Republic Act No. 6539, as amended, otherwise known as the 
26 
27 
28 
29 
30 
31 
32 
33 
Anti-Carnapping Act of 1972 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
Anti-Carnapping Act of 1972 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
“SEC. 9. Duty of manufacturer: of engine blocks, chassis or body to 
cause numbering of engine blocks, chassis or body manufactured. - Any 
person engaged in the manufacture of engine blocks, chassis or body shall 
cause the numbering of every engine block, chassis or body manufactured in 
a convenient and conspicuous part thereof which the Land Transportation 
[Commission] OFFICE may direct for the purpose of uniformity and 
identification of the factory and shall submit to the Land Transportation 


1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
25 
26 
27 
28 
29 
30 
31 
32 
33 
Land Transportation [Commission] OFFICE the pertinent data concerning 
motor vehicle engines including their type, make and serial numbers." 
the , ' 
. ,*, 


1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
25 
26 
21 
28 
29 
30 
31 
32 
33 
with the original or registered NUMBER PLATES OF MOTOR VEHIC ES 
AND serial numbers of motor vehicle engines, engine blocks and chassis. 
NO MOTOR VEHICLE WITH A DEFACED OR TAMPERED W TH 
NUMBER PLATE MAY BE DRIVEN ON THE PUBLIC HIGHWAYS. ANY 
PERSON DRIVING A MOTOR VEHICLE WITH A DEFACED OR 
TAMPERED WITH NUMBER PLATE ON THE PUBLIC HIGHWAYS IS 
DISPUTABLY PRESUMED TO HAVE DEFACED OR TAMPERED WITH 
THE NUMBER PLATE OF THE MOTOR VEHICLE. 
1 
SEC. 12-A. All carnapped or stolen motor vehicle, recovered and 
impound by law enforcement agencies which after a period of three (3) 
months from the date of its seizurelrecovery have remained unclaimed or 
whose real owners could no longer be determined or established because the 
original NUMBER PLATE OF THE MOTOR VEHICLE OR SERIAL numbers 
of the motor VEHICLE engine, ENGINE BLOCK AND [or] chassis [numbers] 
could no longer be determined and restored, are considered as abandoned 
motor vehicles and shall be sold and disposed of by the Chief of 
[Constabulary] THE PHILLIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE or his authorized 
representative -in a public auction: Provided, That, in all cases before any 
public auction is effected, there shall be published once a week for three (3) 
consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines or 
in the place where it was recovered or found, a description of the vehicles 
intended to be auctioned with a notice that after the lapse of one month from 
the date of the last publication, should no person file a claim for the reco ery 
of the same, said motor vehicles will be sold at public auction: Provi ed, 
fina//y, That the date and place of the public auction to be conducted by the, 
Chief of [Constabulary] THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE or i 
his 
authorized representative shall already be fixed in the last publication 
aforementioned. 
SEC. 12-B. After the public auction, the proceeds shall be applied to 
answer for charges including storage and cost of publication and related 
expenses incurred in connection therewith: Provided, That, the remainder, if 
any, shall be [retained by the Philippine Constabularyllntegrated National 
Police to be used for the operational expenses of the Anti-Carnapping Task 


1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
Force or any such unit as may hereinafter be created for a similar purpose for 
which Ahe AntiGarnapping Task Force was created] REMITTED TO THE 
NATIONAL TREASURY.” 
Sec. 12. Section 16 of Republic Act No. 6539, as amended, otherwise known as the 
Anti-Carnapping Act of 1972 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
“SEC. 16. Reward. - Any person who voluntarily gives information 
leading to the recovery of carnapped vehicles and for the conviction of the 
persons charged with carnapping shall be given as reward so much re ard 
money as the Philippine [Constabulary] NATIONAL POLICE may fix. 
Philippine [Constabulary] NATIONAL POLICE is authorized to include i its 
annual budget the amount necessary to carry out the purposes of this section. 
Any information given by informers shall be treated as confidential matter.” 
Sec. 13. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, rule or regulation inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is 
hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
.I 
/he. 
Sec. 14. Separability Clause. - If any portion or provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provisions not affected thereby shall 
remain in force and effect. 
Sec. 15. Effectivity Clause. -This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from the date 
of its publication in at least one (1) newspaper of general circulation. 
Approved,