SC junks petition vs LTO’s license cards deal

MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court (SC) has dismissed the petition of an anti-corruption watchdog to stop the Land Transportation Office (LTO) from implementing a contract with a German technology company amounting to P836 million for the delivery of driver’s license cards.

In a 25-page decision promulgated recently, the SC junked the petition of Anti-Trapo Movement to stop the LTO’s 2017 deal with Dermalog for the purchase of over eight million plastic license cards with a five-year validity.

The SC said the petitioner’s lack of legal standing “to bring the action before this court renders the case dismissible.”

The high court noted that the petitioner failed to establish that the LTO “blatantly disregarded relevant constitutional and statutory prohibitions in awarding the contract to Dermalog.”

The case stemmed from a 2017 deal between the LTO and private firms NEXTIX, Dermalog Identification Systems and CFP Strategic Transaction Advisors for the purchase of plastic license cards.

The petitioner questioned the contract before the SC, saying the LTO “violated the existing procurement laws.”

Dermalog is the LTO’s current information technology system provider.

The company has been blamed by LTO officials for the recent delays in driver’s license renewals due to glitches, causing inconvenience to numerous vehicle owners.

In dismissing the petition, the SC said the LTO did not gravely abuse its discretion when it awarded the contract to Dermalog.