SUSPENDED Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) chief Teofilo Guadiz III on Tuesday said his name was cleared after a whistleblower in the supposed corruption within the agency admitted having no direct knowledge of his involvement.
“I have been protecting my name in the past 23 years of my public service. I am thankful that I was finally cleared,” he said.
He reacted to the failure of Jefferson Tumbado to answer the questions of the members of the House Committee on Transportation “directly and correctly.”
Guadiz said he was surprised that his name was linked to the alleged corruption in the franchise approval in exchange for money.
Tumbado, a former LTFRB employee, earlier accused Guadiz of corruption during an Oct. 9 press conference organized by the transport group MANIBELA.
He implicated Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista and some officials of the Office of the President.
Two days later, he recanted his statement and apologized to Guadiz and Bautista.
He cited in contempt during a congressional hearing, and was ordered detained for a maximum of 10 days.