Teo: ‘Nothing illegal’ in P60-M TV ad
FORMER Tourism secretary Wanda Teo on Tuesday maintained that there was “nothing illegal” in the P60 million television advertising contract between the Department of Tourism (DoT) and the company, which her brothers run.
Teo stressed this at the start of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee investigation into the controversy.
“There was nothing illegal in the said contract. It is a government to government contract within the executive department,” Teo said.
The inquiry stemmed from the resolutions of Senators Antonio Trillanes 4th, Nancy Binay, and Leila de Lima seeking an inquiry into the scandal.
On April 27, the Commission on Audit (CoA) released its 2017 report, which showed that the DoT paid P60.009 million to Bitag Media Unlimited, Inc. (BMUI) for the airing of its tourism promotion projects in its television program, “Kilos Pronto,” aired at the state-run People’s Television Network Inc. (PTNI).
The payment was made under the term of Teo.
Trillanes on May 18 filed Senate Resolution 726 urging the committee on tourism to investigate the “anomalous P60 million advertisement placement made by the DoT with BMUI.”
“There is an immediate need to look into the irregularities in the disposition of DoT’s budget and its expenditures in advertising and marketing in order to ensure that government funds are legally and properly allocated, directed and spent towards the sole purpose for which the funds were allocated,” he said.
Binay on May 7 filed Resolution 721 directing the proper Senate committees to investigate the advertising placements by the DoT with television networks and media agencies.
De Lima on May 22 filed Resolution directing the proper committee to investigate the alleged “irregular transactions and wasteful spending of the DoT during the term of Wanda Tulfo-Teo.”
Trillanes is considering filing plunder charges against the Tulfos—Ben, Erwin, and Wanda—for their alleged refusal to return the P60 million paid to them by the government.
Trillanes issued the statement after the Tulfos announced that the money would not be returned to the government, no matter what happens. BERNADETTE TAMAYO
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