DOTr hits spread of 2016 clip of Tugade in Christmas party game

The Department of Transportation on Tuesday hit out at the spread of an old video clip of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade participating in a Christmas party game with an employee of the agency.

The clip was posted on Facebook by Pinoy Ako Blog amid continuing criticism of President Rodrigo Duterte kissing a Filipino worker during an event in South Korea this past weekend.

DOTr director for communications Goddess Hope Libiran said the video, which had been viewed over 100,000 times and shared more than 1,600 times, was taken during the agency's Christmas party in 2016. Pinoy Ako Blog, run by known Duterte critic Jover Laurio, captioned the footage: "Ang kabastusan ay naging normal sa panahon ni Duterte."

"Pilit binubuhay ni PAB ang isang lumang video upang magkalat ng malisya sa mga bagay na purong katuwaan lang," Libiran said.

Libiran said Tugade and the woman were "nominated" to participate in what she described was a "fun" and "lighthearted" moment.

"We find it unfortunate and rather sad that known critics of the administration had to pull an old video of Secretary Arthur Tugade having clean fun with employees, and put malice where there is none," she also said.

"Katuwaan lamang po, wala pong malisya, walang personalan," she added. —Margaret Claire Layug/JST, GMA News