DOTC sets bidding for LTO-IT project

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) is set to bid out the P3.44 billion Land Transportation Office (LTO) information technology system project this week despite the legal case pending before a lower court in Mandaluyong City.

 DOTC Undersecretary Rene Limcaoco issued General Bid Bulletin 013-2014 setting the deadline for the submission and opening of bids on May 30.

“Some prospective bidders of the subject project have brought to our attention that certain parties have been contacting them with the apparent intention of unjustly causing confusion in the conduct of the bidding. Thus, in order to ensure the integrity of the bidding and to address any confusion which may have resulted from the improper actions of certain parties, we are moving the schedule of the deadline for the submission and opening of bids to May 30,” Limcaoco stressed.

 The DOTC was forced to suspend indefinitely the bidding for the project scheduled last May 12 due to the temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by the Mandaluyong Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 213 in the case docketed under SCA No. MC14-8902.

 â€œIn view of the issuance of a TRO by the Regional Trial Court, Branch 213, Mandaluyong City in SCA No. MC14-8902 entitled Belaro vs. DOTC, et al., the bidding of the above-mentioned project is suspended,” Limcaoco said.

In an order dated April 11, Mandaluyong RTC Branch 213 Judge Carlos Valenzuela issued a 20-day TRO preventing the respondents in the case docketed under SCA MC 14-8902 from bidding out the project.

It would be recalled that lawyer Salvador Belaro filed a 17-page complaint with application for TRO and writ of preliminary injunction against government officials led by Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya and LTO chief Alfonso Tan Jr.

In his complaint, Belaro said he has the right to sue government officials who breach their duty to spend public funds with the bidding of the P3.44 billion LTO-IT project in defiance of three rules crafted to prevent illegal or imprudent expenditures.

He pointed out that the bidding of the project would violate the requirement of National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) approval, the need for multi-year obligational authority (MYOA) from the Department of Budget and Management, (DBM) and would lead to an expense greater than the sum appropriated by Congress.