LTO nixes calls to refund RFID fee

MANILA, Philippines - The Land Transportation Office is not inclined to give a refund of the fees they collected for their radio frequency identification (RFID) project that was suspended by the Supreme Court on Thursday.

In a statement, the LTO pointed out that the High Tribunal had not given an order for it to give a refund of the RFID fees collected when it issued the temporary restraining order against the project last week. Even Malacañang has not given an order for it to to issue a refund.

“The status quo ante order issued by the Honorable Supreme Court on Jan. 12, 2010 merely ordered the DOTC-LTO to suspend the implementation of the RFID Project and to submit their comment within 10 days,” the LTO said.

“In effect, nothing is final and executory,” the agency stressed. The LTO further clarified that their computerization contractor, Stradcom Corp., was not the collecting arm of the RFID fees. “All payments are made directly to the LTO and hence, the national treasury. Should the SC approve a reimbursement, then it shall be the LTO that will disburse to the public,” the LTO clarified.

Since the issuance of the TRO by the SC last week, calls have been made by certain groups led by the militant transport group Pagkakaisa ng Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (Piston) for the LTO and Stradcom to give a refund of the RFID fees collected when it pushed through with the implementation of the controversial project at the start of the year until it was stopped by the High Tribunal. The LTO said that there had been 90,000 motor vehicle owners who paid for the installation of the RFID tags before it was suspended by the SC.

Piston asks for refund

Piston claims that the LTO should refund as much as P46.7 million in fees it collected, saying that aside from the RFID tag fee of P350, it also collected P169.06 computer fee during the RFID installation process.

It will be recalled that the SC granted the TRO sought by Piston and other party-list groups who had filed a petition for TRO and permanent injunction against the RFID program in December.

Piston and party-list groups Bayan Muna, Anakpawis and Gabriela, had filed a petition before the Supreme Court on Dec. 19, asked for the scrapping of the project citing numerous irregularities in the project including the failure of the DOTC and the LTO to hold a public bidding to select a company to undertake the installation of the RFID tags.

The petitioners also pointed out that the DOTC had failed to submit the project to the National Economic Development Authorityfor review.