MALACANAÑG ON Tuesday reiterated that the Department of Justice (DoJ) should move to have the P60 million paid by the Department of Tourism (DoT) to Bitag Media Unlimited Inc. for ad placements at government network PTV-4 returned to the government.

Wanda Corazon Tulfo-Teo, who was tourism chief when the contract was made, and her brothers, Bienvenido “Ben” T. Tulfo of Bitag Media and broadcaster Erwin T. Tulfo of PTV-4, have been under fire over the deal.

Asked for an update on the matter at a press briefing on Tuesday, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador S. Panelo said, “Then DoJ will have to do something about it.”

“The Palace always wants that laws are not only enforced but are obeyed to its fullest extent. As we said, there are no sacred cows in this government, friends or allies,” he said.

As to how soon the Palace wants the money returned, Mr. Panelo said: “Depends on the DoJ, because it’s their call, they will have to do something legally about it.”

Erwin drew public ire recently for berating retired major general and now Social Welfare Secretary Rolando D. Bautista in his program in Radyo Pilipinas.

Mr. Panelo said during a press briefing last Monday that the Palace “supports” Mr. Bautista, but both parties should now “move on.”

“Well, Mr. Tulfo has his reasons for doing what he did. He apologized for it and I think we shall accept the apology. He was gentleman enough to apologize,” he said.

“I think we should bury that. We should move forward,” he added. — Arjay L. Balinbin

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