Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla on Tuesday announced the preventive suspension of former Land Transportation Office (LTO) chiefs Vigor Mendoza II and Teofilo Guadiz III for six months without pay, citing grave misconduct in the continued use of the Stradcom-operated IT system that generated ₱13.3 billion in computer fees.
Mendoza, now LTFRB chair, and Guadiz, current OTC chair, were found to have disregarded government directives to fully transition to the Land Transport Management System (LTMS).
The Ombudsman said their actions favored Stradcom despite the expiration of its Build-Own-Operate concession in 2013 and the rollout of LTMS in 2021.
“The continued utilization of the LTO IT System demonstrates a patent disregard of established government policy,” the ruling stated, adding that suspension was necessary to preserve documents and prevent further malfeasance.
The Commission on Audit (COA) earlier flagged the parallel use of both systems, which burdened the public with additional fees amounting to ₱13,379,196,499.73 from 2019 to 2025.
Guadiz, during his 2022 term, pushed for the old IT system, claiming it was “a better solution.” Mendoza, in 2023, issued memoranda reviving its use alongside LTMS, and in January 2025 directed PUV registration renewals through Stradcom without LTFRB confirmation.
The Ombudsman stressed that accountability must be enforced, as the parallel utilization continued to generate fees despite the government’s official acceptance of LTMS as the primary platform for vehicle registration and licensing. # (ZIA LUNA)
