TV journalist Ben Tulfo said he will not return Php60-million worth of advertisement money he received to play advertisements of the Department of Tourism (DOT) during one of their shows despite an earlier announcement that they will find a way to return the said ad money.
In a Facebook post, Tulfo said their deal with PTV and DOT was legal and supported by documents, challenging his critics to bring the case to court if they have issues.
“Kumpleto kami sa kontrata at mga dokumento. Legal ang ginawa namin. Nai-deliver at tinrabaho namin. Gusto niyo ng pruweba? Nandito sa’min sandamakmak na mga video na nai-produce ng PTV-4 na ipinalabas sa Kilos Pronto nationwide, worldwide at sa social media. Patunayan niyo ang sinasabi niyong conflict of interest sa hukuman,” Tulfo said.
“Sa mga nagsasabing isauli ang pera at hinihintay daw ang 60-M, mamuti na mga mata niyo! Wala kaming isasauli! Sa mga nagsasabing ilegal at nangulimbat kami, e’di sampahan niyo kami ng kaso, tutal nandyan naman ang COA at Ombudsman,” he added.
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Tulfo is referring to the money that he and his brother, Erwin Tulfo, received after airing several advertisements from DOT on their show “Kilos Pronto”.
The Commission on Audit (COA) questioned the release of Php60-million to the Tulfo brothers’ TV show citing that the deal, which was divided into three payment schemes, P22.09 million in May, P18.96 million in November and another P18.96 million in December, lacked a memorandum of agreement or contract.
Critics also called out the “conflict of interest” in the deal as the tourism chief at that time was Wanda Tulfo-Teo, a sibling of the Tulfo brothers.
Calling out fellow journalists
In his post, Ben Tulfo also criticized his fellow journalists who gave their comments regarding the issue, including his own brother, Mon Tulfo.
“Sama ko na ‘yung kachokaran niyong gurang na ulyaning kuya namin! Siya ang may sabi ipakain na daw ako sa pating! Sagot ko sa kanya: ‘Hoy! Magtanim ka nalang ng kamote sa Palawan! Limot ka na’,” Ben Tulfo said.
RELATED ARTICLE: Mon Tulfo scolds siblings over DOT ad controversy
