LTFRB corruption whistleblower may have just used us – Manibela chair

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The chair of the transport group Manibela has admitted that it might have been “used” by Jeff Tumbado, a former executive assistant who accused his former office, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), of being involved in corruption.

Antipolo 2nd District Rep. Romeo Acop, chair of the House Committee on Transportation, asked the Manibela chair, Mar Valbuena, about the issue on Monday during a hearing of his panel.

“Mr. Valbuena, do you think you were used, you and your organization?” Acop said.

Replying in Filipino, Valbuena said: “Yes, Your Honor. But in the around three months we’ve been talking [he was consistent]. Of course, we studied this also. We knew what would be the outcome once he issued a different statement one day. But what’s important is that people would know corrupt schemes inside LTFRB.”

Acop, a former police general who is also a lawyer, asked Valbuena if the group had sought legal counsel on whether Tumbado’s claims could be actionable.

Valbuena said the lawyers of Manibela believed that the evidence against LTFRB was strong. He noted that Tumbado gave them screenshots of conversations between suspended LTFRB chief Teofilo Guadiz III and a Central Luzon official who was supposedly informing Guadiz that transport groups were ready to pay for their franchises.

Last Oct. 9, Tumbado accused Guadiz of being involved in schemes where the LTFRB would for grease money from transport groups to facilitate their franchise approval or alteration of routes.

Tumbado recanted his statements two days later.

“But with what Mr. Tumbado told you, all the information provided, have you ever consulted a lawyer to ask whether you can file appropriate administrative and criminal charges against the members of that agency?” Acop asked.

“Yes, Your Honor, and our lawyer said his accusations and the information he gave me really had weight, including the screenshots and our conversation, Mr. Chair,” Valbuena said.

“So it has weight. When the lawyer told you that, does that mean you have sufficient basis to file a case in court, both administrative and criminal?” Acop asked again.

“The list he gave me, Your Honor, included people who really tried to come to LTFRB and give grease money. Some of them testified that they indeed handed over something,” Valbuena said.

However, Tumbado during a separate portion of the hearing already admitted that he merely fabricated the messages he had sent to Valbuena.

Due to Tumbado’s different answers to lawmakers, Sagip party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta moved to cite him for contempt, which Acop approved.

READ: Acop suspects LTFRB whistleblower Tumbado was also involved in fraud

Implicating other officials

During the hearing, Tumbado also discussed his allegation that Acop, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, and Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Alexander Marcos, who is the son of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., benefitted from the LTFRB corruption scheme.

Tumbado maintained that he did not mention Acop, Marcos, and Baustista in his statements and press briefings, but 1-Rider party-list Rep. Ramon Gutierrez pointed out that it was Valbuena who mentioned the officials’ names in media interviews.

Valbuena then pointed out that the information — for which Bautista filed a case against him — came from Tumbado.

“In his story — and he said this during our discussions and exchanges through Viber — he mentioned these people.. And I quote, this is from Mr. Tumbado: ‘He directly told me’ — referring to chairman Guadiz — ‘that this would be going to Secretary Bautista, Acop, Marcos, Office of the President so that he has something to show off’ — referring to Mr. Chairman Guadiz,” the Manibela head said.

Valbuena said Tumbado was consistent in these allegations.  When Acop asked if it was Tumbado who sent the messages, Valbuena showed his phone, adding that it was sent through a Viber chat.

Tumbado denied doing so. But when Acop got hold of the number that messaged Valbuena — and threatened that he would have it checked through the SIM registration database — Tumbado admitted that it was his phone.

No corruption, only multiple murder

Acop clarified that he had not been charged with any corruption-related case during his stay in office — adding that he only faced complaints for multiple murder regarding the Kuratong Baleleng incident in 1995.

“I didn’t even have a case in my 40 years of service with the Philippine Constabulary, in the Philippine National Police, regarding corruption. But if you ask me what cases I faced, it’s only multiple murders — due to the Kuratong Baleleng. Cases were filed in 1995. I was acquitted 19 years thereafter, when I was a second-term congressman, by the Supreme Court,” Acop said.

Gutierrez meanwhile called out Tumbado again for lying.

“So we confirm again now: Mr. Tumbado denied giving those statements, denied making those statements to Mr. Valbuena, but now the number submitted is the same?” Gutierrez asked.

“I confirm, Your Honor,” Tumbado answered back.

“You confirm that the number that you are using is the same number that Mr. Valbuena has confirmed. And you intentionally gave a different number just now to deceive this committee,” Gutierrez said.

Tumblado aid denied the allegation.

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