Refund of P60M an ‘admission of guilt’; DOT chief must resign – Akbayan

Akbayan Partylist has sought for the resignation of Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo especially after her lawyer announced that BITAG Media will return the P60-million payments it received for the tourism ad placements on its programs aired through government television PTV4.

Akbayan spokesman Gio Tiongson said on Monday that Atty. Ferdinand Topacio’s announcement that BITAG Media will return the money is tantamount to “admission of guilt.”

“If she had an ounce of delicadeza, she would resign. Returning the money should not stop probes for accountability. It also doesn’t correct an illegal act,” Tiongson noted.

In an earlier interview over DZMM, Topacio said that Ben Tulfo, of Bitag Media, decided purportedly along with his brothers to return the P60 million.

READ: Bitag Media to return P60M pay for DOT ad placements – lawyer

Tiongson said that amid the announcement, they “are more convinced that the DOT is in the hands of an official who favors her family business over public service.”  /kga