AUTHORIZING THE DISPOSAL OF UNCLAIMED RECOVERED AND IMPOUNDED CARNAPPED MOTOR VEHICLES AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NUMBERED SIX THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED THIRTY-NINE OTHER…

WHEREAS, as a result of the government’s unrelenting
campaign against carnapping, several carnapped or stolen motor vehicles have
been recovered by the different law enforcement agencies government;

WHEREAS, some of these motor vehicles which are now
impounded in the different impounding centers of the Philippine
Constabulary/Integrated National Police have remained impounded and unclaimed
for a length of time due to the absence of any claimant thereof;

WHEREAS, the identification of these motor vehicles for the
purpose of determining ownership thereof have become difficult, if not
impossible, considering that the original numbers of the tampered engine and
chasis numbers could no longer be determined and restored;

WHEREAS, the maintenance of such impounded and abandoned
vehicles is causing unnecessary expenses to the government, aside from the
manpower involved in maintaining these motor vehicles, which could otherwise be
channeled to and utilized for other purposes;

WHEREAS, these impounded and unclaimed motor vehicles whose
value run to millions of pesos, while thus remaining unclaimed, will
progressively deteriorate and will ultimately become totally useless, time
constituting economic wastage which should be avoided at all cost. Hence, it is
imperative that said vehicles be appropriately and economically disposed
of.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Republic of the
Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby
order and decree:

SECTION 1.—Two new sections are hereby inserted between
Section 12 and 13 of Republic Act No. 6539 to be denominated as Section 12-A and
Section 12-B which shall read as follows:

SECTION 12—A.—All carnapped or stolen motor vehicle,
recovered and impounded by law enforcement agencies which after a period of
three (3) months from the date of its seizure/recovery have remained unclaimed
or whose real owners could no longer be determined or established because the
original numbers of the motor engine or chasis 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 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 motor 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 recovery
of the same said motor vehicles will be sold at public auction’ Provided,
Finally that the date and place of the public auction to be conducted by the
Chief of Constabulary or his authorized representative shall already be fixed in
the last publication aforementioned.

SECTION 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 Constabulary/Integrated
National Police to be used for the operational expenses of the Anti-Carnapping
Task Force or any such unit as may hereinafter be created for a similar purpose
for which the Anti-Carnapping Task Force was created.

SEC. 2.—The Chief of Constabulary shall promulgate rules and
regulations implemental of this decree, subject to the approval of the President
upon recommendation of the Minister of National Defense.

SEC. 3.—All laws, decrees, letter of instructions, orders,
rules and regulations or any part thereof which are in conflict with the
provision of this Decree are hereby repealed, amended or modified
accordingly.

SEC. 4.—This Decree shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila this 23rd day of March in the year of Our Lord
Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Four.

			(Sgd.) FERDINAND E. MARCOS President of the Philippines
	By the President:
	(Sgd.)JUAN C. TUVERA
		Presidential Executive Assistant