Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 20) - Ilocos Norte 2nd District Rep. Imelda Marcos' use of the already-recalled No. 8 plate is illegal, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) said.

Asked on CNN Philippines' The Source on Monday if the former first lady's use of the No. 8 plate is legal, LTO Law Enforcement Service Director Francis Almora said, "It's not."

"Obviously, the plate used by Congresswoman Imelda Marcos is issued for the previous Congress. And considering that she won, probably this was not removed from the motor vehicle and they continued using it," Almora said. Marcos has been a congresswoman since 2010.

However, he said that no congressman could use the No. 8 protocol plate anymore because all plates which were issued have expired in 2016 and no new plates were issued for members of the lower house in the 17th Congress.

Marcos rode a white minibus bearing a No. 8 plate when she finally made her appearance before the Sandiganbayan last Friday in connection with her graft conviction.

This was two days after Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered lawmakers to return protocol plates issued to House members during the 16th Congress, following a road rage incident where a vehicle with the No. 8 plate was involved.

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While Marcos' use of the plate is illegal, authorities could not simply apprehend her.

"That particular instance is already finished. So we don't know if that van is still using that plate," Almora said.

He also admitted that law enforcement officers may be intimidated to apprehend a vehicle with a No. 8 plate.

"It would not just be easy to flag down a motor vehicle with that plate, No. 8. There's that part ma'am, but we still do our job," Almora said.