Ex-LTFRB aide Tumbado a no-show after NBI subpoena; says he will cooperate

Jeff Tumbado, the former executive assistant of suspended Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) chairman Teofilo Guadiz III, on Monday did not appear before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to respond to the subpoena issued against him.

“May mga inaayos pa [I’m still taking care of something],” Tumbado said in a phone interview with the media when asked about his non-appearance.

Tumbado previously asked for a postponement of the probe as he is also preparing for a hearing at the House of Representatives on Tuesday.

Despite this, he reiterated that he is willing to cooperate with the NBI.

“Definitely, definitely naman, makikipag-cooperate ako sa NBI. Hindi po ako makaka-show up ngayon kasi may mga inaayos pa po kami ng abogado ko,” Tumbado said.

[Definitely, I will cooperate with the NBI. I cannot show up right now because my lawyer and I are still fixing some things.]

According to the NBI-Anti Graft Division (NBI-AGD), Tumbado’s “would-be” legal counsel also did not arrive to represent him. The AGD said his lawyer begged off from attending and representing Tumbado as he was supposedly not cooperative.

In a message to GMA News Online, Tumbado said he may change his lawyer.

He also denied that he was being uncooperative.

“Hindi ako uncooperative, marami lang dapat plantsahin [I am not uncooperative. I just had a lot of things to address]. Still seeking for another lawyer to represent me,” he said.

Tumbado was issued a subpoena by the NBI following his allegations that Guadiz delivered corruption money to Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, claims which he later retracted and apologized for.

The NBI-AGD said they issued three subpoenas to Tumbado. The first was at his residence in Novaliches on October 12 while the remaining two were sent to Olongapo, Zambales, and Caloocan on October 13.

According to the NBI-AGD, though it has no power to cite Tumbado in contempt for failing to appear, its investigation will continue. The AGD declined to comment on their future actions to avoid preempting the investigation.

Meanwhile, Guadiz on Monday denied the claims made by Tumbado.

"Wala hong katotohanan lahat ng mga ibinunyag niyang iyon (There is no truth to his allegations against me)," Guadiz told Unang Balita in an interview.

He also said he is also willing to face any investigation. —KG/RSJ, GMA Integrated News