MEPS secures victory in arbitration case vs BTI

The arbitral tribunal from the Philippine Dispute Resolution Center Inc. (PDRCI) recently rendered an arbitral award directing BTI Payments Philippines, Inc. (BTI) to pay Manila Express Payments System (MEPS) at least P5.3 million.

In a resolution, the arbitral body found BTI to have unlawfully copied the patented utility model of MEPS and to have violated the Intellectual Property Law allegedly in connivance with Electronic Transfer & Advance Processing Inc. (E-TAP).

The case stemmed from a series of raids conducted by the operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation-Intellectual Property Rights Division (NBI-IPRD) in July 2020 and March 2021 pursuant to the Search Warrants issued by Judge Reinalda Estacio-Montesa of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 46, of Manila and Judge Elma M. Rafallo-Lingan of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 159, of Pasig.

During those raids, NBI agents supposedly seized several kiosk machines bearing the name “Pay & Go” with identical flow system and utility model of TouchPay from different establishments in Metro Manila.

TouchPay is owned and operated by MEPS and its utility model is registered with the Intellectual Property Office (IPO).

The “Pay&Go” kiosk machines, on the other hand, are manufactured by E-TAP and was allegedly deployed by BTI led by its officers Peter Alexander Blacket, David Scott Glen, Danilo Ibarra, Neil Sison and Alina Sison.