Trillanes to file plunder case vs. Tulfos
Published Aug 15, 2018 11:32 am
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Updated Aug 15, 2018 11:32 am
By Vanne Elaine Terrazola
Senator Antonio Trillanes IV is keen on pursuing plunder charges against former Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo, her brothers Ben and Erwin Tulfo, and other officials for the controversial deal on the Department of Tourism's (DOT) advertisements on the state-run People's Television Network (PTV-4).
Former Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo and Bitag Media Unlimited, Inc. CEO and founder Ben Tulfo gesture during the Senate hearing on Tulfo's P60-M earnings from DOT ad placements in Pasay city, August 14, 2018. (Czar Dancel / MANILA BULLETIN)
Trillanes on Wednesday said he will file plunder cases against those supposedly involved in the P120-million contract between the DOT, PTV-4, and Bitag Media Unlimited, Incorporated (BMUI) following the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee's hearing on the issue.
The senator, recalling the Senate inquiry on Tuesday, said he was convinced that the Tulfo siblings, and some other executives of the DOT and PTV-4 committed plunder.
"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 PTV-4 (It's clear that all elements of the crime of plunder were committed by Ben Tulfo, Erwin Tulfo and Wanda Teo , and some officials of the DOT and PTV-4)," Trillanes said in a statement.
He said he does not believe Teo's alibi that she was not aware that Ben's company, BMUI, produces the PTV-4 block timer Kilos Pronto. He added that he found no basis on the DOT's decision to place their ads into a program "na mababa ang rating (which has low ratings)."
Trillanes also noted Erwin's supposed "admission that he benefitted from this transaction" by telling the Senate panel that he earns P150,000 for hosting the 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," Trillanes said. "Kaya dahil dito, tuloy-tuloy ang pagsampa ko ng kasong plunder laban sa kanila (Because of these, I will continue to file plunder cases against them)," he said.
At the hearing, Trillanes began his close questioning by defining plunder, citing Republic Act 7080 as amended by RA 7659.
"Any public officer who, by himself or in connivance with members of his family, relatives by affinity or consanguinity, business associates, subordinates or other persons, amasses, accumulates or acquires ill-gotten wealth through a combination or series of overt or criminal acts," he told the Tulfos.
Teo had insisted that she had no knowledge that Ben produces the pogram. Ben, meanwhile, maintained that there was no conflict of interest over the deal and that it was legal.
Erwin, for his part, said he was only a host of the Kilos Pronto, with a "talent" status in the BMUI.
Aside from the Tulfo siblings, Trillanes also implicated DOT Undersecretary Kat de Castro, who hosted a travel segment in Kilos Pronto.
Upon questioning by Trillanes, De Castroid said she had no knowledge that the BMUI was behind the program until May, when the issue on the DOT ads deal cropped up.
Trillanes also included PTV-4 president Dino Apolonio in the planned plunder case after he told the senator that no one influenced the network to place the DOT ads in Kilos Pronto.
Former Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo and Bitag Media Unlimited, Inc. CEO and founder Ben Tulfo gesture during the Senate hearing on Tulfo's P60-M earnings from DOT ad placements in Pasay city, August 14, 2018. (Czar Dancel / MANILA BULLETIN)
Trillanes on Wednesday said he will file plunder cases against those supposedly involved in the P120-million contract between the DOT, PTV-4, and Bitag Media Unlimited, Incorporated (BMUI) following the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee's hearing on the issue.
The senator, recalling the Senate inquiry on Tuesday, said he was convinced that the Tulfo siblings, and some other executives of the DOT and PTV-4 committed plunder.
"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 PTV-4 (It's clear that all elements of the crime of plunder were committed by Ben Tulfo, Erwin Tulfo and Wanda Teo , and some officials of the DOT and PTV-4)," Trillanes said in a statement.
He said he does not believe Teo's alibi that she was not aware that Ben's company, BMUI, produces the PTV-4 block timer Kilos Pronto. He added that he found no basis on the DOT's decision to place their ads into a program "na mababa ang rating (which has low ratings)."
Trillanes also noted Erwin's supposed "admission that he benefitted from this transaction" by telling the Senate panel that he earns P150,000 for hosting the 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," Trillanes said. "Kaya dahil dito, tuloy-tuloy ang pagsampa ko ng kasong plunder laban sa kanila (Because of these, I will continue to file plunder cases against them)," he said.
At the hearing, Trillanes began his close questioning by defining plunder, citing Republic Act 7080 as amended by RA 7659.
"Any public officer who, by himself or in connivance with members of his family, relatives by affinity or consanguinity, business associates, subordinates or other persons, amasses, accumulates or acquires ill-gotten wealth through a combination or series of overt or criminal acts," he told the Tulfos.
Teo had insisted that she had no knowledge that Ben produces the pogram. Ben, meanwhile, maintained that there was no conflict of interest over the deal and that it was legal.
Erwin, for his part, said he was only a host of the Kilos Pronto, with a "talent" status in the BMUI.
Aside from the Tulfo siblings, Trillanes also implicated DOT Undersecretary Kat de Castro, who hosted a travel segment in Kilos Pronto.
Upon questioning by Trillanes, De Castroid said she had no knowledge that the BMUI was behind the program until May, when the issue on the DOT ads deal cropped up.
Trillanes also included PTV-4 president Dino Apolonio in the planned plunder case after he told the senator that no one influenced the network to place the DOT ads in Kilos Pronto.