The Department of Transportation (DOTr) said Tuesday that it will comply with the Office of the Ombudsman and cooperate in its investigation following the six-month preventive suspension of two transportation officials over P13 billion in additional fees.
In a statement, Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said he respects the Ombudsman’s six-month preventive suspension of Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Chairperson Vigor Mendoza II and Office of Transport Cooperatives (OTC) chief Teofilo Guadiz III.
The DOTr said that, although it has yet to receive a copy of the decision, the agency will comply with the Ombudsman’s order and cooperate to ‘uphold the principles of accountability, transparency and due process in the performance of our mandate.’
‘The LTFRB and OTC will remain fully operational, and essential services will continue to be delivered efficiently and without interruption,’ the DOTr said in a statement.
The Ombudsman earlier announced the suspension of Mendoza and Guadiz over the continued use of the Stradcom-operated LTO information technology system despite the implementation and acceptance of its replacement, the Land Transportation Management System, during their respective terms.
Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano said the additional fees amounted to P13.3 billion in computer fees from 2019 to 2025, based on the findings of the Commission on Audit.