The chief Aquino-era tourism guru who is reportedly the mastermind of
Puyat’s appointment is long-time advertising executive Ramon Jimenez,
Jr. Ad man Jimenez not only avoided the heat for his involvement in
awarding a P1.2-billion advertising blitz during the Noynoy years to
drumbeat the “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” campaign, he was also
instrumental in bringing down President Rodrigo Duterte’s original
tourism secretary, the clueless Wanda Tulfo Teo.
This is by no means a defense of Tulfo and her brothers, who are
embroiled in a controversy that is mostly of their own making. In fact,
in a separate, succeeding column, I shall delve into the People’s
Television advertising contract that not only brought down Teo, but also
smeared her brothers, broadcasters Ben and Erwin Tulfo.
But for now, it is important to understand what really led to the
downfall of Teo, and shortly thereafter, Tourism Promotion Board head
Cesar Montano. It has all the hallmarks of a Yellow diversionary
“operation” dreamed up by Jimenez and his old DoT henchmen, implemented
with the very important help of Puyat, who not only played the fireman’s
role in the Jimenez graft case but who also made sure that the old
Noynoy gang is reinstated.
On April 26 of this year, the National Bureau of Investigation filed
with the Office of the Ombudsman a graft complaint against Jimenez, some
of his top officials and two advertising executives regarding alleged
anomalies in the “It’s More Fun” campaign. The NBI said Jimenez and some
of his top officials led by Undersecretary Benito Bengzon awarded to
advertising outfit Dentsu Philippines Inc. the “It’s More Fun” contract
that cost the government P1.2 billion in three years.
The NBI found “badges of fraud” in Jimenez’s awarding of the contract
to Dentsu. The investigating agency said Dentsu was given the deal
despite a lack of approval from the directors of TPB and opposition from
the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC).
It is important to point out that both Bengzon and Arnold Gonzales
were known as trusted subordinates of Jimenez during the Noynoy years.
Bengzon, by the way, is the only official from Teo’s time who was
retained by Romulo, while Gonzales, another Aquino appointee, was
promoted by Puyat to the post of OIC after the resignation of Montano.
Less than a month after the NBI brought charges against Jimenez and
his subordinates, the story of the P60 million advertising contract
between the DoT and government television PTV4 allegedly favoring Ben
Tulfo’s “Kilos Pronto” of Bitag Media Unlimited broke. This was quickly
followed by the alleged anomalous “Buhay Carinderia” contract that was
awarded by Montano to a private company, even if no anomalies have been
unearthed so far in that deal.
Both Teo and Montano were believed by Jimenez and his gang, according
to my sources, of initiating the NBI’s investigation into the “It’s
More Fun” campaign. It was time, they decided, to get rid of both
Duterte appointees and to find someone “friendlier” to Aquino’s tourism
officials who would even continue their old projects.
The key to smearing both Teo and Montano was the Commission on Audit,
whose chairman, Michael Aguinaldo, was an Aquino appointee who was once
an associate in the law firm of a very powerful official in the current
Duterte administration. And the same palace official, according to my
sources, decided that Puyat was to replace Teo and be given free rein to
choose an equally friendly subordinate to take over Montano’s post.
Teo and Montano never had a chance. The same palace official warned
both Duterte appointees that the President would not look kindly on them
fighting the appointment of Puyat, even if she was clearly being used
by Jimenez to divert attention away from the Dentsu contract and the
“It’s More Fun” campaign.
It was Aguinaldo who released the damning (if largely
unsubstantiated) allegations against both Teo and Montano. The CoA
notices were instrumental in forcing the removal of the two, especially
since they had been told that it would do them no good to oppose Puyat,
because of her alleged long-time special relationship with the
President.
There is apparently some truth to the palace official’s warning.
Puyat was an undersecretary in the Department of Agriculture during
Noynoy’s administration and the only official retained by the now
incumbent Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol upon Duterte’s assumption
of the presidency; her father, Alberto, was not only Noynoy’s first
foreign affairs secretary but also the budget secretary in the Cory
Aquino government.
Here’s the knock on Berna: It is telling that Puyat, who has
cultivated the image of being a crusader against graft and corruption,
has also called for the continuation of the “It’s More Fun” campaign —
the same campaign that got Jimenez into trouble in the first place — and
other alleged anomalous projects during Jimenez’s time.
Another high-profile project from Jimenez’s term as tourism chief
that is making a comeback under Puyat is the Madrid Fusion Manila (MFM),
which she emphatically called “my baby” in a recent interview. The
three-year-old project, which claims to promote Philippine cuisine and
tourism, has mostly been showcasing Spanish culture and culinary
experts, with the backing of the sister-chef of another top Aquino
official.
Teo’s and Montano’s involvement in MFM was to postpone the five-year
project after they said they uncovered alleged anomalies committed by
organizers and previous DoT and TPB officials during Jimenez’s time.
These include the non-submission of terminal liquidation reports for
part of the P360 million spent per year for 2015 and 2016 by the
government to stage the three-day event.
According to the two former Duterte officials, no biddings were
conducted for MFM, as well as the World Street Food Congress and the MTV
Music Evolution, another Jimenez-backed project, which cost Filipino
taxpayers $3.8 million for a one-night music concert event. Yes, that
last project was a one-night concert, which not a lot of Filipinos were
even aware of.
Meanwhile, Puyat has also convinced CoA’s Aguinaldo to conduct an
unusual “pre-audit” of all contracts entered into by Teo, even if CoA
usually enters the picture only in “post-audits” of consummated deals.
Aguinaldo was reportedly “directed” by Puyat, as well, to look into
deals entered into during Teo’s time, but only during her time,
completely ignoring the NBI case against Jimenez.
(To be continued tomorrow)
https://www.manilatimes.net/berna-brings-back-the-yellows/433260/
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