Court issues Injunction vs procurement of DL plastic cards amid supply shortage
A Quezon City Regional Trial Court (QCRTC) has issued a Writ of Preliminary Injunction on the government’s procurement of plastic cards that are being used in the printing of driver’s license.
Sources told the Manila Bulletin that the order was issued by the QCRTC Branch 215 on Oct. 13.
The case stemmed from the case filed by Allcards Inc. against the Department of Transportation, the LTO and the winning bidder Banner Plasticard Inc. in connection with the procurement of 5.2 million pieces of plastic cards, which was done to address the supply shortage of the plastic cards for driver’s license that started in April this year.
In issuing the Writ of Preliminary Injunction, sources said the court ruled in favor of the Allcards in its argument that the company was denied due process when it was disqualified in the bidding process.
In August this year, the same court issued a 20-day Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) on the awarding of the contract, which led to the suspension of the delivery of the plastic cards.
The TRO lapsed early September and since then, more than one million pieces of plastic cards were delivered, which prompted the LTO to issue a guideline on the dates of the claiming of plastic-printed driver’s license for all those affected by the shortage.
But with the issuance of the Writ of Preliminary Injunction, the effort of the LTO to address the more than 2.4 million backlog in plastic-printed driver’s license is expected to be delayed anew, this time, for indefinite period of time since the order stopping the procurement process is in effect while the case is pending, or until further orders from the court.
LTO chief Vigor Mendoza II confirmed the court order, saying they have no choice but to adjust their target time following the court decision.