News
DOT awaits probe results on complaint vs TPB chief Cesar Montano
(Photo: Department of Tourism/ Facebook)” width=”2048″ height=”1462″ />
“The Secretary is still on an official trip. She is, however, aware of the complaints filed recently against TPB COO Cesar Montano. The Department will await for the results of the investigation being conducted by PACE (Presidential Action Center),” De Castro said. (Photo: Department of Tourism/ Facebook)MANILA–The Department of Tourism (DOT) on Monday was tight-lipped when sought for a comment regarding a complaint filed by Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) staff against its Chief Operating Officer (COO) Cesar Montano on several irregularities he has allegedly committed in his four-month stint.
Montano started working with the TPB, the marketing arm of the DOT, last December 2016.
Tourism Undersecretary Kat de Castro said that Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo is aware of the complaints and will address them as soon as she returns from her trip in Berlin.
“The Secretary is still on an official trip. She is, however, aware of the complaints filed recently against TPB COO Cesar Montano. The Department will await for the results of the investigation being conducted by PACE (Presidential Action Center),” De Castro said.
“I’m sure she (Teo) will take action as soon as she is back,” she added.
In the seven-page letter of complaint filed at the PACE, Montano was accused of irregularities including entering into multi-million peso deals without approval from the board, hiring his own staff whose functions were redundant with current employees and the questionable use public funds.
Teo and other officials are in Berlin to lead the largest Philippine delegation ever to the world’s biggest tourism trade fair, the Internationale Tourismus Borse (ITB Berlin) in Germany held from March 8 to 12.
In a hearing before the Commission on Appointments (CA) last Dec. 7. 2016, Teo admitted that Montano was not her first choice to head the TPB.
