OPPOSITION lawmakers on Wednesday called for the immediate resignation of Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo after the Commission on Audit tasked her department for paying a P60.01 million to a private media outfit owned by Ben Tulfo, Teo’s brother.
At the same time, President Rodrigo Duterte is also investigating Communications Secretary Martin Andanar for his possible involvement in the P60 million worth of advertisements paid by the Department of Tourism to a government television program, which has Ben Tulfo as executive producer.
Special Assistant to the President Christopher Go said the President would want to know the real score behind the CoA report.
The CoA audit of the state-run People’s Television Network Inc. showed that there was no memorandum of agreement or contract between PTNI and Ben Tulfo’s Bitag Media Unlimited Inc. to air DoT advertisements in BMUI’s “Kilos Pronto” show.
“We are looking into it,” Go added.
PTNI is under the Presidential Communications Operations Office which Andanar heads.
Go did not detail the possible involvement of Andanar.
“Secretary Teo should resign if she continues to insist that there is no impropriety,” Akbayan party-list Rep. Tom Villarin said.
Based on a 2017 CoA report, Teo’s department allotted P60-million advertisement to People’s Television Network Inc. which placed the amount in the “Kilos Pronto” produced by her brother Ben’s Bitag Media Unlimited Inc. and co-hosted by her other brother, Erwin.
“In the CoA findings, there were four major violations found in the disbursement vouchers like no MoA between PTNI and BMUI, no certificate of performance, no duly approved budget utilization request, and detailed billing statements… What is clear is that a P60-million budget was released to her brother’s media production unit and that CoA should now issue a notice of disallowance,” Villarin said.
But the PTNI insisted the transaction with Bitag was aboveboard as it was supported by adequate documents.
Tulfo said on Bitag Live’s Facebook account that the ad contract was aboveboard and had necessary documents.
But as far as Anakpawis Party-list Rep. Ariel Casilao was concerned, Teo must step down out of delicadeza.
Alliance of Concerned Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio said the supposed “conflict of interest” was undeniable.
Tinio also urged the Ombudsman should conduct a probe, as his fellow, ACT Rep. France Castro said President Duterte should do something about this latest controversy in his administration.