PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte continues to support Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) chief operating officer Cesar Montano, despite complaints that the latter had committed several irregularities as the head of the ageny.
"All they have to do is file a case if you have a gripe and to think that there’s something politics. But I trust him, that’s why I appointed him. I would not appoint him, if I have no confidence in him,” Duterte said told reporters in a press conference held at Malacañang Palace.
Duterte’s statement came after employees of TPB filed last March 1 a formal complaint against Montano at the Presidential Action Center, accusing him of being involved in entering into multi-million peso contracts sans proper recommendation and approval of the board.
According to the complainant, Montano entered into a P16.5-million sponsorship contract with a production company Carat Productions that mounted the February 25 rally for President Rodrigo Duterte at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila.
It also claimed that Montano recently approved the board's P12-million sponsorship of the concert tour of love team James Reid and Nadine Lustre in the United States and United Arab Emirates, despite the negative recommendation of Marketing Communications Department.
The TPB employees also criticized Montano for charging his domestic trips to the board’s funds, even though these are not part of the work program.
"The TBP management and employees have expressed their frustration and disappointments with COO Montano’s leadership, as well as hid team, who does not know government procedures," the complainants said.
"It is in this hope that TBP can have a new competent and able leader who can perform the duties and responsibilities called for as Chief Operating Officer of the Tourism Promotion Board and deliver what is required as head of an agency," they added.
Montano, who campaigned for Duterte during the 2016 presidential elections, was appointed by Duterte as head of TBP, an agency under the Department of Tourism, in December last year. (VoxPop Philippines)
