Three media personalities allegedly received large amounts of money as payoffs in the guise of "advertising expenses" during the heyday of Janet Lim-Napoles' pork barrel scam, according to former officials of the National Agribusiness Corporation (NABCOR).
 |
| Erwin Tulfo, Melo del Prado (inset) and one yet-to-be-identified TV/Radio personality |
The money trail just won't stop. New developments in the NABCOR-Pork Barrel scam link recently included three top television/radio personalities as "among the beneficiaries of the diversion of congressional allocations from the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) [aka pork barrel funds] coursed through...Nabcor."
The allegations are contained in a set of documents submitted by Nabcor officials to the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with a probe on the malversation of the Priority Development Assistance Fund allocated to legislators.
An Inquirer report published on Tuesday evening quoted former National Agribusiness Corporation (NABCOR) officials Rhodora Mendoza and Vic Cacal as saying that TV5 news anchor Erwin Tulfo and Radio DzBB broadcaster Melo del Prado received payoffs in the form of "advertising expenses" from the government agency in 2009.
Mendoza and Cacal said Tulfo received a check for P245,535 on March 10, 2009 drawn from a NABCOR account at United Coconut Planters’ Bank (UCPB), Tektite Branch PSE Center, Ortigas, Pasig City.
On the other hand, Del Prado, Carmelo del Prado Magdurulang in real life, received three checks totaling P245,535 on April 27, May 14, and July 6 in 2009, also drawn from the same UCPB account.
The checks were part of documents submitted by Mendoza and Cacal to the Office of the Ombudsman.
Cacal said apart from the vouchers justifying the processing of the payment, no other documents were provided to justify the expenses.
The payoffs were allegedly sourced from pork barrel funds coursed through NABCOR, an agency under the Department of Agriculture (DA).
In the Inquirer report, Tulfo denied receiving money from NABCOR, saying his name could have been used by someone else.
Del Prado, meanwhile, refused to discuss the allegation.
GMA network starts probe on Melo del Prado
In a statement posted on GMA's news website, broadcaster and GMA Network's radio group head Mike Enriquez said the broadcasting company will investigate the allegations.
"GMA Network places the utmost importance on the professional and ethical conduct of all its personnel, particularly those engaged in news and public affairs. Any information regarding activity that runs counter to our core values and ethical standards is taken very seriously," Enriquez said.
"In accordance with standard procedure, we will conduct a thorough investigation of any allegations of violations. Due process will be observed and we will ensure that full sanctions will be applied if determined to be necessary."
Erwin Tulfo denies NABCOR payoff
In a statement issued by TV5, Tulfo "denied that has had any business dealings with Nabcor." The statement added that any involvement Tulfo had with the agency "were all in the course of his job as a journalist, and did not involve any monetary or business consideration whatsoever."
Tulfo, a hard-hitting commentator, currently anchors radio and television news programs for the TV5 network. The broadcasting company said it "stands by the statement of Mr Tulfo," but stressed that it takes any and all allegations of misdealings by its people "seriously".
"TV5 has been made aware of the allegations of misdealings concerning...Mr Erwin Tulfo," the network said. "TV5 stands by the statement of Mr. Tulfo, but will conduct its own internal inquiry into the matter."
Another TV and radio personality
In the same Inquirer report, Mendoza said another "TV and radio personality" received P2 million from Nabcor president Alan Javellana on the instruction of then DA Secretary Arthur Yap "as payoff to stop criticisms of a Nabcor project."
Mendoza, then NABCOR vice president for finance, and Cacal, head of general services, alleged that P1.7 billion in pork barrel funds, formally known as Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), were coursed by Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada, Ramon Revilla Jr. and Edgardo Angara and 79 representatives to NABCOR from 2007 to 2009.
These funds allegedly ended up in the hands of bogus non-government organizations. NABCOR officials and lawmakers allegedly received kickbacks from these fake NGOs.--Source: Inquirer/ABS-CBN News/GMA 7/TV 5