Court stops supply deal for driver’s license cards

MANILA, Philippines - The Land Transportation Office (LTO) will be compelled to halt the issuance of new driver’s license cards should the supplier stop providing the agency with the cards.

LTO chief Alfonso Tan Jr. said yesterday they could not issue new driver’s license cards if supply runs out since they were ordered by the Manila Regional Trial Court to stop the award and payment of the agency’s P336-million driver’s license card supply project to Allcard Plastics Philippines Inc.

“If the supply runs out and we are not paying, I guess what will happen would be similar to that of the license plates. Hopefully, the supplier will still deliver. But if not, then we will not be able to issue any license cards,” Tan told The STAR.

Tan said he received the Manila RTC’s decision “one or two weeks ago.”

The Commission on Audit (COA) earlier ordered the LTO to put a stop to its license plate deal with Dutch-Filipino consortium PPI-JKG Philippines Inc., saying it violated the procurement law.

Tan said that at this time, they still have enough supply of driver’s license cards.

He added that the court only stopped them from implementing the award and payment to the supplier and not from issuing driver’s licenses.

Tan said they would exhaust all legal remedies available to purse the license card project.

Meanwhile, Department of Transportation and Communications spokesman Michael Arthur Sagcal said they will defend the much-needed procurement of driver’s cards supply in court.

“Our bids and awards committee fully complied with applicable laws,” Sagcal said in a text message.

He said the public should not be made to wait any longer and suffer, given the baseless grounds raised in the petition against the project.  – With Louella Desiderio