LTO halts RFID fees, refund faces delay

The implementation of the erstwhile mandatory but controversial and much criticized Radio Frequency Identification Project of the Land Transportation Office has been suspended after the Supreme Court issued a status quo ante order prohibiting the agency from electronically tagging motor vehicles upon registration.

Opponents of the RFID questioned before the High Tribunal the constitutionality and legality of the scheme noting the absence of a bidding. However, it is still uncertain whether to refund those who have paid the P350 RFID tags when they applied for registration.

Dumaguete City LTO chief Roland Ramos said that his office has already complied with the initial ruling of the court while the agency’s lawyers are crafting their legal defense.

Ramos said that he cannot immediately order the reimbursement of the P 350.00 already paid by vehicle owners earlier. “We are still awaiting for the guidelines from our head office, we cannot just refund them because the money collected has been remitted to the national treasury,” said Ramos.