(UPDATED) - President Rodrigo Duterte has accepted the resignation of Wanda Tulfo-Teo as secretary of the Department of Tourism (DOT), Malacañang said Tuesday, May 8.
"(It's) done," Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. told Sun.Star in a text message, when asked if the President has accepted Teo's resignation.
The President himself was tight-lipped on Teo's resignation, but lamented how he has to fire government officials who are accused of being involved in corruption.
Speaking before the newly-promoted generals and flag officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Tuesday evening, the President said he "just fired a new one."
The identity of the unnamed sacked official was not mentioned in Duterte's impromptu speech.
"I have dismissed (government officials) because of corruption. I just fired a new one," he said in a speech delivered at Palace's Rizal Hall.
In a press conference earlier Tuesday, Roque said Teo's resignation was not a sign of guilt.
"I think Secretary Teo, being a close associate of the President, did what she thought was the best course of action and we thank her," he said.
Teo was accused of conflict of interest after state auditors found that the Department of Tourism (DOT) placed advertisements on PTV-4's "Kilos Pronto" television show operated by Bitag Media Unlimited Inc. (BMUI) and hosted by her brothers, Ben and Erwin Tulfo.
The Commission on Audit (COA), in its 2017 report, flagged the payment of P60.01 million to PTV-4's block-timer BMUI, which is owned by Ben Tulfo, for airing the DOT's commercial advertisements on Kilos Pronto despite the absence of proper documentation of the deal.
Teo has come under fire following the COA report, but Roque said the Office of the Ombudsman is the sole institution that can determine if the Tourism chief must be held criminally liable over the advertisement arrangement.
"The matter should properly be investigated by the Ombudsman," Roque said.
"Palace is now letting the Ombudsman to investigate to determine if there is a criminal liability on the part of Secretary Teo. That's a constitutional mandate of the Ombudsman," he added.
Amid the controversy, the BMUI had expressed its intent to return the P60 million it had received.
Roque said the plan to return the money was a "good gesture," but stressed that such move would not absolve anyone who may have done a wrongdoing.
"Returning the P60 million is a good gesture. But according to the law, it will not completely exonerate what has been violated. But of course, there will still be an investigation," he said.
Anakpawis Party-list Rep. Ariel Casilao on Tuesday said the resignation of Teo will not exonerate her.
In his statement, Casilao said "it is obvious that her quitting is a face-saving act."
"The moral dilemma lies in her conviction as to why she allowed this under her watch, for a family member to profit," he said.
Casilao further urged President Rodrigo Duterte to "decisively clean up his cabinet".
Akbayan Party-list Rep. Tom Villarin for his part said the resignation of Teo "shows how corruption and incompetence have reared its ugly head in Duterte’s government."
He said Teo should still be investigated.
Topacio earlier clarified that the President did not demand Teo's resignation and that it was purely her own decision.
He also reiterated that she has not done any wrongdoing. (SunStar Philippines)