MANILA, Philippines – Opposition senator Antonio Trillanes IV is set to file a plunder complaint against former tourism secretary Wanda Teo and her brothers, Ben and Erwin Tulfo, over the unreturned P60 million in the controversial deal between the Department of Tourism (DOT) and their production company.

Trillanes also called on the Senate blue ribbon committee, chaired by administration ally Senator Richard Gordon, to probe the alleged anomaly.

“I intend to file a plunder case against the Tulfo siblings in relation to the P60-million DOT ad controversy,” Trillanes said in a statement on Monday, July 30.

He added that the Senate blue ribbon committee should “determine the magnitude of corruption, specifically, how much more of the people’s money was squandered by the previous DOT leadership.”

Back in May, Trillanes filed Senate Resolution No. 726 urging the Senate committee on tourism to launch an inquiry, but the chamber referred it to Gordon’s committee.

The Commission on Audit (COA) earlier questioned the initial P60 million paid by the DOT for ad placements on Kilos Pronto, the show co-hosted by the Tulfo brothers on state-run People’s Television Network (PTV). Ben is also the chief executive officer of PTV blocktimer Bitag Media Unlimited, which runs the show.

COA’s 2017 audit report also states that the total contract cost to air tourism segments on PTV programs was P120 million, with around 75% of that or P89.878 million for Bitag alone.

Ben has said they would not return the P60 million, even as his sister’s lawyer Ferdinand Topacio earlier said they would do so.

“Sa mga nagsasabing isauli ang pera at hinihintay daw ang P60 million, mamuti na ang mga mata ninyo! Wala kaming isasauli,” Ben said in a video on Bitag’s Facebook page.

(To those saying we should return the money and who are waiting for the P60 million, your eyes will just turn white! We won’t return anything.)

“Sa mga nagsasabing ilegal at nangulimbat kami, eh di sampahan ‘nyo kami ng kaso, tutal nandiyan naman ang COA at Ombudsman!” added Ben, who is a known supporter of President Rodrigo Duterte.

(To those saying the deal was illegal and we stole money, why not file a case against us? COA and the Ombudsman are there!)

Teo resigned after the controversy, claiming she had “no idea” that her brothers host Kilos Pronto.

The audit report states, however, that the contract signed by the DOT “specifically required” PTV to air ads on Kilos Pronto. (FACT CHECK: Wanda Teo claims no hand in P60-M ads, but DOT contract specified Bitag) – Rappler.com