I don’t know what is more galling: the grossly anomalous contract between the Department of Tourism and PTV4 with the Tulfo Brothers’ Bitag Media Unlimited Inc. or the insolence of the Tulfo brothers. Especially Erwin Tulfo smirking when Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV was speaking.
At yesterday’s Senate hearing conducted by the Sen. Richard Gordon’s Blue Ribbon Committee, the multi-million transaction between the allegedly cash-strapped PTV and Ben Tulfo’s BMUI defies logic and common sense. It’s impunity of another kind.
The Filipino language has the perfect word for it: garapal.
How can your jaw not drop with this: PTV4 general manager Dino Apolonio said as block timer, BMUI pays the government station P700, 000. Yet, out of the P120 million contract the government station got from DOT, then under Wanda Tulfo-Teo, he put P100 million in BMUI.
So the P700, 000 Tulfo’s BMUI paid PTV4 for the timeslot, came from P100 million PTV4 paid him.
Yan ang sinasabing tubong lugaw.
From the P100 million, P60 million went to a public service program, Kilos Pronto, hosted by Ben with his brother, Erwin.
Kilos Pronto was specifically mentioned in the Memorandum of Agreement between DOT, which was signed by Teo and PTV, which Ramon del Rosario, group head of programing or airtime management wrote.
Asked why Kilos Pronto was specified in the contract, Del Rosario said “it was suggested.” Sen. Risa Hontiveros followed that up and in a matter of a few minutes, he and Apolonio changed their line and said no one ordered or suggested to them about “kilos Pronto.”
As Malaya reporter Peter Tabingo said, “Kamot-balakubak” ka na lang. Anyway, Trillanes said they will all be included in the conspiracy to commit plunder, a crime that is non-bailable.
There were many Kamot-balakubak moments during that hearing. Yung mapanga-nga ka na lang sa sobrang garapal. Like Ben Tulfo perplexed about the issue of conflict of interest: “Ako ay nababagabag sa palaging pino-point out na conflict of interest dahil kapatid ko si Wanda.”
He insisted he didn’t do anything illegal so why would he return the P60 million paid to Kilos Pronto?
Teo said the idea of returning the P60 million came from her lawyer, Ferdinand Topacio, to show “goodwill.”
She said in the beginning, Ben did not say he was opposed to Topacio’s suggestion. Teo said,“Sabi niya titingnan niya kung saan kukunin ‘yung pera. Titingnan niya kung saan kukunin ‘yung pera kasi nagasta na niya ang pera.”
It was the former Tourism secretary who was firm in her reply that her brother should not return the P60 million: “Natapos na po kasi ang kontrata. Nagastos na po iyung pera… saan kukunin ang pera pambayad?” she asked.
Kamot-balakubak na lang tayo.
Teo said the reason why the Tourism ads were placed in Kilos Pronto, a public service program, was it was “sikat.” The government would be able to save money.
Yet, she said she didn’t know it was her brother who is the producer and host of the program when she signed the contract.
Peter Tabingo asked:“Kung sikat ang programa bakit di kilala ni Ate?”
Kamot-balakubak na lang.
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Statement of Sen. Trillanes re: Senate hearing involving Tulfo siblings:
Maliwanag pa sa sikat ng araw na lahat ng elemento ng krimen na plunder ay ginawa ng magkakapatid na sina Ben Tulfo, Erwin Tulfo at Wanda Teo at ilang opisyales ng DOT at PTV4.
Bukod sa walang basehan kung bakit sila maglalagay ng P120 million pesos advertisement sa isang programa na mababa ang rating, hindi rin kapani-paniwala ang alibi ni Former DOT Secretary Teo na hindi niya alam na ang kanyang sariling kapatid na si Ben Tulfo ang may-ari ng Kilos Pronto. Dagdag pa rito, napaamin si Erwin Tulfo na nakinabang siya sa transaksyong ito dahil siya ay kumikita ng P150 thousand na sweldo kada episode o mahigit 3 milyon kada buwan.
Kaya dahil dito, tuloy-tuloy ang pagsampa ko ng kasong plunder laban sa kanila.
natapos na po ang kontrata, nagastos na po iyung pera, saan kukunin ang perang pambayad? tanong ni teo.
it’s not our job to indulge teo and answer her question! and like what is often said, dont ask question you dont know the answer!
teo now has all the time in the world to ponder her own question, while at the same time savoring her ill gotten wealth and enjoying the fruits of her fall from grace so lucrative, it’s calamitous to the nation.
dapat si duterte ang magsampa ng kaso kay teo, appointee pa naman niya si teo. it is only right na mabawi ni duterte ang
pera and put pera to good use lalo na ngayong may mga baha at disaster, buildings and roads destroyed by flood need to be rebuild, etc.
firing appointees may make duterte feel good, but it does not absolve crime. there is still retribution to be made, wrongs put to right, and wrongdoers to be punished. if not, duterte is giving a very bad message to all and sundry that wrongdoers dont need to be contrite and remorseful, no need for them to be accountable for their mistakes, and that if given similar chance, wrongdoers can commit the same crime over again!
firing someone at work is just the 1st step of many towards rehabilitation, and wanda teo should know because she used to be a rightful person, once!
I reckon duterte should stop playing the indulgent ‘tatay’, niloloko tuloy siya ng mga ‘anak’ niya.