This was the findings of Robredo and LTO Assistant Secretary (Asec) Virgie Torres who recently audited the system of registration of cars and confirmed that the database of Stradcom is indeed "corrupted."

Both government officials even conducted a secret "experiment" wherein they tried to officially register a non-existent car. But they were only stunned with the result, since the make-believe car managed to pass the registration process without incurring any questions or hurdles.

"In our experiment, we were able to register a non-existent car with an official receipt (OR), certificate of registrationpt (CR), verification report, sticker, and plate number. But there was really no car," Robredo told the Manila Bulletin.

The normal car registration process requires the vehicle should be taken by the owner to the LTO office.

However, during the test buy they conducted, there was no need for the team to present any actual vehicle and, instead, managed to acquire plate number ZNE 491 through a "fixer," someone who claimed to be working for the LTO in Metro Manila, but is actually not an LTO employee.

Further, the DILG team verified the plate number through the LTO 2600 SMS verification system, and found out that thed plate number is issued to a Toyota Avanza 1.3 J model, 2008 make and colored white, which was last registered on January 28, 2011.

There were no apprehension nor alarm records attached to the plate number.

However, when it came to the database printout, the plate number used is said to be issued to a Toyota Avanza, also colored white, but this time the make is 1.5 G model 2008.

The team's "fixer" even went as far as providing them with a set of stickers and LTO accountable forms (OR and CR). The forms have been filled out by a "fictitious owner."

"The altered data on the OR and CR were then used as basis for a contact inside the LTO office who has access to the LTO database to 'edit' the entries corresponding to the plates," explained Robredo.

"Vehicle insurance was applied for and issued after," he added.

Not stopping there, the day following the receipt of the plate number, OR and CR, the team checked again through short message system (SMS).

This time, the same plate number is now said to belong to a 2009 Toyota Avanza 1.5 G model, colored red, last registered on January 28, 2011.

The dubious results led the DILG Secretary to confirm that there is something seriously wrong with the Stradcom database system, an anomaly which criminals and corrupt officials might have been taking advantage of.

"Sa ngayon, sinasagawa na namin ng LTO ang pagsisiyasat kung bakit nagkamali ang systema. Naghahanap na din kami ng paraan para madisiplina ito, (As of now, the DILG and LTO are investigating why this mistake occurred in the system. We are also finding ways to discipline the system)," he said.

Robredo said that the "breach in the database of LTO" made Torres very uncomfortable. "Our questions now are: Who made those entries? Who holds the records? Who is encoding?”

“It is our suspicion that there is an insider working on these," he surmised, citing that "if you will look into the system of Stradcom, it will come out as a registered vehicle. No apprehensions, malinis (clean). But the car is non-existent.”

Earlier, the DILG and the Department of Justice built a joint task force on anti-carnapping, in light of the slew of violent crimes committed by the Dominguez carjacking syndicate. The task force received reports that motor vehicle plates surrendered to LTO and genuine LTO accountable forms are being sold to individuals connected to carnapping syndicates.

This prompted the DILG to coordinate with Torres and determine the veracity of the reports.

Czarina Nicole Ong, Manila Bulletin