Landbank’s interpleader turned a temporary hold into years of paralysis, leaving one of its clients bear the cost—and raising questions the bank must finally answer.
Remember the license-plate shortage that left millions of Filipino motorists waiting years for their car and motorcycle plates?
This was among the main issues thrown against former Transportation secretary Jaime Bautista when he assumed office on June 30, 2022. The public-relations spin was brutal. His detractors dragged him into a gutter war, which he proficiently navigated, much to their consternation.
But what triggered the shortage?
The crisis began in 2014 and metastasized through procurement challenges, a Commission on Audit (COA) disallowance, unpaid duties, court restraints, and motorcycle-plate redesign requirements.
