Tulfo brothers to return controversial P60M DOT ad funds

After a family council, brothers of Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo decided to return the P60 million money paid to them by the Department of Tourism (DOT) for advertisement placements, Teo’s legal counsel announced Monday, May 7. (Photo: BITAG Live/Facebook)

After a family council, brothers of Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo decided to return the P60 million money paid to them by the Department of Tourism (DOT) for advertisement placements, Teo’s legal counsel announced Monday, May 7.

“Bagama’t wala po sa kaniya (Erwin Tulfo) ‘yung P60 million at nagastos na po, gagawa po sila ng paraan at io-offer nila na ibalik na po up to the last centavo kung anuman po ang naibayad sa kanila (Although Erwin Tulfo no longer has the money because it has been spent, they will find a way and offer to return down to the last centavo whatever amount was paid to them),” lawyer Ferdinand Topacio told dzMM early Monday.

He added that even Teo’s husband, Roberto Teo, also resigned from the board of the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) after being dragged into the controversy.

Topacio said that this move was done to demonstrate their “good faith and good will” and to show that there were no shenanigans in the advertisement deal.

“Everything was above board. In fact even the [Commission on Audit] is not investigating the payment to Bitag. COA is merely asking for supporting documents,” Topacio stressed,

It can be recalled that the COA earlier said that there was no contract or memorandum of agreement (MOA) between government-owned People’s Television Network Inc. (PTNI) and Bitag Media Unlimited Inc. (BMUI), owned by Ben Tulfo, to air the DOT advertisements on their show “Kilos Pronto.”

Teo, however, denied any conflict of interest in the deal, saying that the contract was between the Tourism department and PTV-4, not her brother’s media outfit.

The Tourism Secretary said it was PTV-4 that decided on what program the ads would be placed.

Tulfo brothers, on the other hand, maintained that the ad deal was “above board and had a contract,” according to Topacio.

For the meantime, the Tulfos will consult the COA for procedures on returning the P60 million payment.

“We are under no illusion that returning the money will end the investigation and result in the issue dying down. We felt that this is the right thing to do under the circumstances,” the legal counsel continued.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said President Rodrigo Duterte has yet to decide on Tulfo brothers’ action.

“Kung ang tatangunin po ay kung anong desisyon ni Presidente sa isyung ito wala pa po dahil itong offer na ibalik ang (If you were to ask what the President’s decision on the issue is, no decision yet because this offer to return the) P60 million is a breaking development. Siguro ang Presidente nalaman ito sa balita lamang (Maybe the President only heard about this in the news),” Roque said.

He added that no charges have been lodged against any official in connection with the deal between PTV-4 and DOT.