P60-M 'by drops'? Tulfo show ponders return of ad money, says lawyer

A lawyer of Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo on Monday said Bitag Media Unlimited Inc is set to meet with state auditors to coordinate the return of P60 million in government funds funneled to their show, Kilos Pronto.

Speaking to radio DZMM, lawyer Ferdinand Topacio said he will be visiting the Commission on Audit to facilitate the return of the funds. He added he does not know yet how the funds will be returned.

"Baka pwedeng drops-drops naman para hindi naman malubog si Mr. Ben Tulfo," he said, referring to the owner of Bitag Media.

The Tulfos earlier agreed to return the P60 million paid to Bitag Media Unlimited Inc for advertising placements in the show the outfit produces and airs on state owned People’s Television Network Inc.

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This, after the Commission on Audit Red flagged the transaction in its audit of the PTNI for 2017 for lack of sufficient documents.

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Secretary Teo’s brother Ben owns Bitag Media, which produces Kilos Pronto, which counts Ben and another brother Erwin as hosts.

"After a family council, they have decided to return the P60 million na binayad ng People's Television Network Inc. sa Bitag Media Unlimited Inc for the ad placements ng DOT," Topacio earlier said.

The lawyer said the Tulfos wanted to "show their good faith and their good will" by returning the money after the ad placements were criticized as a clear case of conflict of interest.

In the interview, Topacio said he expects Ben Tulfo to lose money when he returns the P60 million.

"Talagang lugi po kasi 2017 pa na i-release yung pera. Siyempre pumasok na sa production, sweldo ng mga employado niya,
etc," he said.

"Sabi niya, kahit masakit e wala pong maitutumbas na salapi ang pangalan ng mga Tulfo."

Topacio reiterated that it was PTV-4 that chose to place the tourism ads in Kilos Pronto. He denied that the government-owned station chose the show because the tourism secretary's brothers are hosts "but because the show had the highest ratings."

"Hindi po nagsasalita ang PTV-4. Parang naiwan kami sa ere," he added.

RADIO DZMM, MAY 7, 2018