THE former Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) information officer, Jeff Gallos Tumbado, has recanted his previous allegations of corruption within the agency.
His allegations led to President Marcos Jr.’s decision to suspend LTFRB chairman Teofilo Guadiz III due to “alleged corruption under his leadership.”
Tumbado, in a detailed two-page affidavit of recantation, admitted that his earlier revelations were made “out of impulse, irrational thinking, and misjudgment.”
He went on to extend his apology to Guadiz, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, and the Office of the President for the unfounded accusations.
The former LTFRB information officer said in his affidavit, “All the statements made were products of impulsive actions, irrational thinking, misjudgment, and poor decision-making, possibly influenced by certain individuals. This may have clouded my judgment at the time.”
Tumbado had his affidavit notarized by a public notary in Quezon City, and it is dated October 11, 2023.
Despite the recantation, Tumbado remained steadfast in his belief that there are significant issues within the agency that require immediate attention.
“I still stand by the issue that there are indeed problems within the agency that demand investigation by the relevant authorities, and those responsible should be held accountable,” he said.
Tumbado, who previously served as the head of LTFRB’s information team, had initially claimed that the agency demanded P5 million to expedite various requests, including franchise applications, special permits, and route modifications.
He even suggested that this corruption might extend to the highest levels of government, hinting that “If you are an operator and you want to secure a route, especially in the provinces, if you want to ensure immediate approval, you will look for me and (pay) P5 million for special permit, substitution, board resolution, franchise.”
