The Supreme Court (SC) issued a status quo ante order on Tuesday stopping the implementation of the controversial radio frequency identification (RFID) project of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) and the Land Transportation Office (LTO).

Lawyer Jose Midas Marquez, the SC spokesman, said the High Court found basis to issue the order based on the arguments in the petition questioning the legality of the project, which was implemented effective January 3.

“The prevailing situation prior to the RFID project shall prevail and it will resume until further orders from this court. This is to prevent continuous probable injury to the petitioners,” Marquez told a press conference.

Under the project, all vehicles will be required to install stickers containing microchip that stores vehicle information.

For a one-time fee of P350, the LTO installs the RFID tags on more than 4.7 million vehicles, thereby raising P1.6 billion in annual revenues. The RFID tag is supposed to last for 10 years.

But last December 16, militant transport groups and lawmakers led by Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo petitioned the SC to declare the RFID project unconstitutional and illegal.

The petitioners said the project did not pass through legal channels, including a public bidding and review of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA). They also argued that the project causes an unnecessary burden on the motorists.

Marquez said the status quo ante order issued by the High Court is “indefinite until lifted.”

He said the order gives motorists who have already registered with RFID tag “can seek reimbursement.”

“Bahala na ang LTO how they will arrange the reimbursement,” he added.

Marquez also said the SC also ordered the respondents – DoTC Secretary Leandro Mendoza, LTO chief Arturo Lomibao and Stradcom Corp. – to comment on the anti-RFID petition within 10 days.

The SC, he said, also granted the motion for intervention filed by several transport groups favoring the project and accepted their opposition to the petition filed by Ocampo, et al.

Just last Monday, transport groups led by the Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (FEJODAP) asked SC to allow them to intervene in the case, claimed they have legal interest in the subject matter under litigation having been “directly and actually affected by the benefits of the implementation of the RFID tag program.”

The transport groups said that contrary to claims by critics, the RFID program is beneficial to them as it will not only simplify and speed up the registration process but will also “immediately diminish and eventually eradicate colorum operations.”