Ex-LTFRB aide Tumbado told to appear in NBI probe

The National Bureau of Investigation has required former Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board official Jeff Tumbado to attend the probe into his allegations of corruption that he had already recanted. 

The Department of Justice, which supervises the NBI, said in a statement on Saturday that the subpoena was served to Tumbado and expected to present evidence on Monday, October 16.

''He is required to be present. As stated in the subpoena, failure to appear may be penalized under law,'' the DOJ said.

Tumbado is the former executive assistant of suspended LTFRB chairman Teofilo Guadiz III. He previously claimed that Guadiz delivered corruption money to Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista.

He also said that Guadiz told him two congressmen were also in on the collection of P5 million from transactions such as the opening of new routes or franchises.

Tumbado, however, later recanted his allegations, saying his remarks were "borne out of impulse, irrational thinking, misjudgment, and poor decision-making."

He said the sworn statement was also "a form of public apology" to Guadiz, Bautista, the Department of Transportation, and the Office of the President. —VBL, GMA Integrated News