Teo maintains nothing irregular in P60-M DOT ad placement with brother’s company

Former Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo maintained that there was nothing irregular in the DOT's multimillion-peso ad placement on her brother Ben Tulfo's television program—and called her other brother Ramon Tulfo a "detractor," in messages relayed by her counsel on Sunday.

"My conscience is clear, the Department of Tourism's (DOT) transactions went through proper procedure. DOT accomplishments during my term are on record," Teo said, as quoted by her counsel to GMA News Online through a text message.

"God Bless Ramon Tulfo and my other detractors!" she also said.

Teo made the remark after Ramon urged Malacañang and other government agencies to investigate his siblings over the deal.

In his column in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the elder Tulfo said the ad contract between his siblings was irregular, whichever way one looks at it.

"My critics are having a field day...I don’t blame them...No matter from what angle you look at it, the contract was irregular, as Wanda poured in millions of pesos in advertisements with PTV 4, where Ben is a private contractor," he said.

He also said he sees "conflict of interest" on Teo's part.

Teo said that an investigation into the matter is already underway, and that she will face questions "squarely at the proper forum."

In its annual audit report for the year 2017, the Commission on Audit flagged state-run People's Television Network Inc. (PTNI) for over P60 million in payments to Ben's Bitag Media Unlimited Inc., saying that DOT's commercial advertisements "were not supported with proper documents such as the Memorandum of Agreement and Certificate of Performance."

The commercial advertisements were aired on "Kilos Pronto," a Bitag Media program airing on PTV.

COA later said that 75 percent, or P89.9 million, of the total P120 million paid by the DOT to PTNI to air ads went to Kilos Pronto.

PTNI, however, said in a statement that the payments were supported by "complete documents" such as the contract between PTNI and BMUI, the Certificate of Performance, the duly approved Budget Utilization Request, and the Billing Statement detailing the deliverables.

The DOT has also clarified that it placed ads on the PTNI in line with the President's order to all agencies to support the state television network.

In May, Teo's counsel said that the Tulfos would return the P60 million, a decision made after a "family meeting." A day after this announcement, Teo resigned from the DOT.

Last week, COA said that Teo could be charged with graft over the ad placement. 

It also flagged P2 billion worth of transactions at the DOT during her term, including P3.7 million worth of withdrawals from Duty Free Philippines that were deducted from DOT's net income shares. — BM, GMA News