Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo. PRESIDENTIAL PHOTOGRAPHERS DIVISION / ACE MORANDANTE
Opposition lawmakers in the House of Representatives called for the resignation of Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo on Wednesday over a multi-million ad placement deal that involved a show produced and hosted by two of her brothers.
According to a COA report, the Department of Tourism (DOT), which Teo headed, paid P60-million to the government’s People’s Television Network, Inc. (PTNI) to air its advertisements. The PTNI then placed the amount in the news magazine show “Kilos Pronto” produced by Teo’s brother Ben and cohosted by another brother, Erwin.
The COA report indicated that there was no memorandum of agreement (MOA) or contract between PTNI and Ben’s Bitag Media Unlimited Inc. (BMUI) to air the DOT’s advertisements.
READ: COA: Teo’s DOT paid P60M for ads on brother Tulfo’s PTV 4 show
“Delicadeza demands na si Secretary Teo must resign. ‘Yung galit ng gobyerno na ito sa usapin ng nepotismo, ‘yung galit daw nila sa dating administrasyon, tila nangyayayri naman ngayon,” said Anakpawis Rep. Ariel Casilao, a member of the Makabayan bloc, in a press briefing.
“Whether or not ‘yung sinsasabi ni Secretary Teo na wala syang kinalaman dito eh you have the authority to sign eh. At kung nabasa mo man ‘yung kontrata na nasa kapatid mo, delicadeza demands na ‘wag mo na ituloy ‘yun. Delicadeza demands na you know the regulations, ‘yung interests no,” he added.
Other members of the group, including Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate, and ACT-Teachers Reps. Antonio Tinio and France Castro, agreed that this would be their group’s demand.
Akabayan Rep. Tom Villarin also called for Teo’s resignation, saying it was “highly improbable that Secretary Teo is not aware” of the P60-million deal because “she should be on top of this.”
“It’s highly improper and a clear conflict of interest to award it to your siblings. While it was G2G (government-to-government) contract, the end user was Bitag Productions that her brother owned,” Villarin said.
“Secretary Teo should resign if she continues to insist that there is no impropriety,” he added.
“In the COA findings, there were four major violations found in the disbursement vouchers like no MOA between PTNI and BTUI, no certificate of performance, no duly approved budget utilization request, and detailed billing statements and that the ads be in the DOT-supported Kilos Pronto segment not the BMUI,” he added.
The lawmaker also urged COA to “issue a notice of disallowance” against the deal.
But Teo denied placing the advertisements on her brothers’ show, saying the DOT’s contract was with PTNI and it was the network that put the commercials on “Kilos Pronto.” It was PTNI that paid BMUI and not the DOT, she pointed out.
“Ang ine-expect ko dito si Pangulong Duterte ‘yung kanyang magiging reaksyon dun sa kanyang pinagkakatiwalaan mismo na secretary… Conflict of interest ito, dapat sya mismo magpaimbestiga. ‘Di ba sabi nya galit siya sa corrupt?” Castro said.
“Ang bola na kay Presidente Duterte ngayon. Asan ka ngayon Pangulong Duterte?” Tinio asked.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Monday that they were investigating the issue. /cbb
READ: Palace probes DOT over P60-M ads on Tulfo’s PTV 4 show / Teo insists P60-M ad deal with PTV 4 legal / Teo denies hand in PTV 4 ad deal: It’s a gov’t to gov’t contract