Mendoza vows to clear his name after Ombudsman suspension

National

FACING a six-month preventive suspension, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) chairman Vigor Mendoza II said he is ready to defend his actions as former Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief and ultimately clear his name.

The Office of the Ombudsman placed Mendoza and Office of Transportation Cooperatives (OTC) chief Teofilo Guadiz III under preventive suspension for six months over their roles in the continued use of the Stradcom-operated LTO information technology system.

The Ombudsman said there were sufficient grounds to suspend the two officials, citing strong evidence in the charges of grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

Mendoza said he has yet to receive a copy of the order but respects the Ombudsman’s decision as the investigation continues.

“I have yet to see the copy of the official order and once received, this will serve as the basis to reiterate my position and present evidence-backed legal arguments that all my actions when I was still the LTO chief were all for the protection and interest of not only the motorists but also the Filipino people,” he said in a Philstar report.

He said the proceedings would give him an opportunity to prove his position and eventually clear his name in the proper forum.

The case involves the continued use of the Stradcom-operated system alongside the Land Transportation Management System (LTMS), the LTO’s newer platform for motor vehicle registration, licensing and related transactions.

The Ombudsman cited Commission on Audit (COA) findings that flagged the parallel use of the systems for “non-maximization of the benefits” expected from the LTMS. COA also found that the arrangement created an “additional burden and expense for the transacting public,” with computer fees charged by Stradcom reaching P13.3 billion from 2019 to 2025.

“The continued utilization of the LTO IT system by Guadiz and Mendoza demonstrates a patent disregard of established government policy and prior official directives intended to transition LTO operations to the LTMS,” the Ombudsman said in the same article.

The Ombudsman said Guadiz, who headed the LTO in 2022, pushed for continued use of the old system and favored Stradcom, saying it provided a better solution.

Mendoza, who headed the LTO in 2023, issued several memoranda that the Ombudsman said effectively revived and institutionalized the system’s parallel use with the LTMS. In January 2025, he also directed the processing of public utility vehicle registration renewals through the old system without requiring LTFRB confirmation.

The government’s agreement with Stradcom dates to 1998. Its original 10-year concession expired in 2013 but was extended month to month. A 2016 phaseout agreement allowed continued use until a replacement system was fully operational. The government contracted a joint venture led by Dermalog Identification Systems GmbH in 2018, and the LTO issued final acceptance for the LTMS in 2021.

Department of Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said the agency respects the Ombudsman’s decision and will comply with the order.

The DOTr said the LTFRB and OTC would remain fully operational and essential services would continue without interruption.

Clavano said the preventive suspension was not punishment but aimed to preserve documents and evidence and prevent possible further malfeasance or misfeasance in office.

Transport group Coalition 169 welcomed the decision, saying it reinforces accountability among public officials. The group said it would continue pursuing accountability for the other respondents named in its May 4, 2026, complaint until the case is resolved.(MyTVCebu)