Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 28) — A House panel on Monday cited for contempt former Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) official Jeffrey Tumbado, who accused suspended LTFRB chairman Teofilo Guadiz III of corruption.
The House committee on transportation ordered his detention for up to 10 days for flip-flopping answers and failing to prove claims of corruption against Guadiz and the LTFRB.
Tumbado stood by his recantation that Guadiz, his former boss, was not linked to bribery, adding his only basis for claiming corruption in the agency were from complaints of public utility vehicle operators.
“Base sa nilalapit at sinusumbong ng operators na para mapabilis ang kanilang pagproseso ng papel ay hindi na sila makatiis o makapag-antay, naglalagay, nagbibigay po sila. Pero wala po akong direktang kaalaman na sangkot si Chairman Guadiz dito sa korapsyon na ito,” he said.
[Translation: Based on what operators told me, they give bribes to make the process faster. But I don’t have direct knowledge that Guadiz is linked to corruption.]
He confirmed accusing transport officials of receiving bribes for franchises, special permits, and changes in routes during a press conference on Oct. 9 mainly due to resentment towards Guadiz.
Sagip party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta then asked Tumbado if he has direct evidence to back his claims of widespread corruption in the LTFRB.
“Wala, your honor, opinyon ko lang po ‘yun,” Tumbado said.
[Translation: None, your honor, that is just my opinion.]
Marcoleta noted Tumbado’s flip-flopping saying he fears for his life, but later on said there were no threats against him.
He said Tumbado wasted the time of lawmakers, prompting the panel to cite him for contempt.
The committe approved the contempt motion, and continued questioning Tumbado.
Tumbado said another executive assistant was part of the bribery, but Antipolo Rep. and committee chairman Romeo Acop said Tumbado might be an accomplice for not reporting the crime.
The former LTFRB official also invoked his right to remain silent when asked about Viber messages to Guadiz showing instances of corruption. He admitted making these up.
“Sa tingin ko lang, kasama ka rito, eh, for all intents and purposes kasama ka rito sa katarantaduhan na ito,” Acop said. “You’re equally guilty kung meron mang guilty sa LTFRB.”
[Translation: I believe you are part of this scheme, for all intents and purposes you are part of this mess. You’re equally guilty if there are guilty people in the LTFRB.]
A list of names, unsigned affidavit
Mar Valbuena, transport group leader Manibela chairperson, told the committee that the former LTFRB executive assistant sent him names of corporations, bus companies, and people who gave money to the LTFRB and offered to pay to expedite processing of documents.
Tumbado blew the whistle during an Oct. 9 news conference organized by Manibela.
Valbuena said he met with one of the names handwritten on some notes, adding that he has also a note of LTFRB officials who took the bribe.
But Tumbado said the handwritten notes, which came from a transport operator whom he did not name, were not credible.
He invoked his right to remain silent when pressed to identify the person. Acop was furious, so Tumbado changed his answer that the list of names came from him, admitting he lied.
Valbuena said Tumbado gave him a copy of an unsigned typewritten affidavit supposedly the latter would file before the Office of Ombudsman. However, Tumbado said not everything in the document was true.
The Manibela chairperson also read a message from Tumbado, showing that according to Guadiz, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, the Office of the President, and two lawmakers were part of the bribery.
Tumbado denied giving the message. The House panel asked for the whistleblower’s mobile number to check if it was the same as the number in the text message. However, it was found that Tumbado gave his second mobile number and that the number in the text message was also his.
The committee ordered Valbuena to submit the documents.
Clearing LTFRB
Guadiz turned emotional after his former aide admitted that the corruption claims were baseless.
At the end of the seven-hour hearing, Guadiz said he was grateful to have his name cleared.
“Of course, I would like to have some vindication probably at a later time, your honor, Mr. Chair. What matters now is not my personal honor but the honor of the agency that I represent,” he told lawmakers.
“Unang-unang gusto ko pong gawin sana ay linisin ang pangalan ko na nabahiran at ng LTFRB,” he said. “And then finally po, pag-iisipan po namin kung ano ang mga kaso na pwede i-file dun sa mga sumira ng ating mga pangalan.”
[Translation: First, I would like to clear my besmirched name and the LTFRB. And then finally, we will think of possible complaints we can file against those who destroyed my reputation.]
CNN Philippines’ Lara Tan, Jelo Mantaring, and Xianne Arcangel contributed to this report.
