Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / JOAN BONDOC
Ridiculous and unacceptable.
This was how opposition Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan described Tourism Sec. Wanda Teo’s explanation on the P60-million ad placement of the Department of Tourism (DOT) to the program of her brother, Ben Tulfo.
Pangilinan said the Ombudsman should look into the transaction between the DOT and PTV-4, where Tulfo’s show, Kilos Pronto, is aired.
“Yes, the P60 million DOT ad buy is on its face highly irregular and the Ombudsman should look into it,” Pangilinan said in a statement.
“The explanation that the DOT dealt with PTV 4 is unacceptable,” he added.
Pangilinan said that if the government accepts Teo’s explanation, then “all Cabinet secretaries can now apportion millions of pesos worth of government projects and programs in their respective agencies for their brothers or sisters or their spouses.”
“This explanation is totally ridiculous,” he said.
READ: Teo insists P60-M ad deal with PTV 4 legal
Teo said that the transaction was aboveboard, and that any questions pertaining to its legality should be coursed through the state-run television network.
Teo said the contract between the two entities went through the proper bidding process and was reviewed by the DOT’s legal division.
She said that all checks issued by the DOT “were made payable to PTV 4.” /jpv