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‘PINAGPAHINGA’ ng state-run Radyo Pilipinas at government-owned People’s Television Network Inc (PTNI) ang broadcaster/ newscaster na si Aljo Bendijo dahil sa ‘tila’ pagdepensa sa DV Boer Farm Inc., ni Dexter Villamin na nahaharap sa mga kasong syndicated estafa at iba pang mga reklamo sa National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
Nabatid na bago umere ang programa ni Bendijo na Birada Bendijo sa Radyo Pilipinas noong Lunes ng hapon ay inimpormahan siya ni Philippine Broadcasting Service (PBS) Director General Rizal Giovanni “Bong” Aportadera, Jr., (Director General) na huling araw na ng program ng broadcaster sa kanilang estasyon.
“I would like to formally complain about the use of government owned media hosted by Mr. Bendijo to cater to a private individual, Dex Villamin, Jr., who is the owner and DV Boer Farm Inc., I am a complainant -investor of the said “paiwi” scheme through his subfarms and have called the attention of the President to seek help for myself and on behalf of the subfarm owners and fellow Filipino investors,” ayon sa reklamo ni Aportadera mula kay Irish Fajilagot Alfon, isa sa libo-libong biktima ng multi-bilyong investment scam ng DV Boer Farm.
Naniniwala si Alfon, hindi wastong gamitin ang mga pasilidad ng gobyerno para pakinabangan ng isang pribadong indibidwal sa pagsusulong ng personal na interes, lalo kung sangkot sa multiple syndicated estafa cases.
“As a taxpayer, I believe it is not right that government owned facilities should benefit a private individual to further his interests especially that this individual is involved in multiple syndicated estafa cases,” ani Alfon.
Ilang beses na aniyang nagmensahe ang kanilang grupo kay Bendijo para ibalita rin ang kanilang mga reklamo laban sa DV Boer noon pang first quarter ng 2020 pero panig pa rin ni Villamin ang pinagbibigyan ng broadcaster na marinig sa kanyang programa.
“We have called out Mr. Bendijo’s attention as early as the first quarter of last year and yet he still provides airtime for Mr. Villamin.
“It behooves us to ask, if the people in the government receive money for such privilege. And is that the reason why he didn’t reach out to us to tell our side of the story?”
Inilakip ni Alfon sa kanyang reklamo ang ilang screenshot na nagdokumento ng kanilang panawagan kay Bendijo pero binalewala ng broadcaster.
Sa liham ni Alfon kay PTNI Board of Director Julio Castillo, Jr., ipinaabot niya ang hinaing ng mga biktima ng DV Boer sa tila pagiging “extra accommodating” ng ilang programa ng PTNI at personalidad sa state-run television network kay Villamin.
“As a taxpayer, I expect the people in the media representing the government to exercise discretion and uphold moral ascendancy especially when they have a huge role in shaping public perceptions and opinions about important issues such as the multibillion-peso investment scam orchestrated by Mr. Villamin. I was surprised and upset to see the people that represent your organisation as credible newscasters and media host like Mr. Aljo Bendijo to be extra accommodating to Mr. Villamin in his segments in spite of the SEC Advisory on his company that was issued on 30 Apr 2019,” ani Alfon.
“Fellow investors called out his attention as early as last year that his cover of the news/interview were biased in favor of Mr. Villamin,” giit ni Alfon.
Bilang patunay ay inilakip ni Alfon ang mga ebidensiyang kanyang nakalap kaugnay ng ‘special relationship’ nina Villamin at Bendijo.
“These are just a few samples of the many sources available online that we came across and made us conclude that Mr. Bendijo has a ‘special relationship’ with Mr. Villamin Jr. Is Mr. Bendijo, one of the faces of the government owned media, a personal propagandist of Mr. Villamin, Jr.?”
Kapansin-pansin aniya na binigyan ng mas mahabang airtime si Villamin sa bawat panayam sa kanya sa mga programa sa PTNI.
“In addition to that, it seemed that Mr. Villamin, Jr., was given longer airtime in each segment every time he appeared for an interview. Thus upon asking and research, the names of the following comes out: Emelie Katigbak, Dianne Querrer, Elena Empaz, Dianne Medina, and Alfonso Delos Santos.,” paglalahad ni Alfon.
Aniya, hindi puwedeng maging kaibigan ng mga taga-PTNI si Villamin ngunit kung ang DV Boer owner ay personal na nakikinabang sa mga ahensiya ng gobyerbo dahil sa relasyon sa kanila, paglabag ito sa Code of Ethics at sa mga patakaran kontra korupsiyon.
“I am not saying that the people cannot be friends with them but if Mr. Villamin, Jr., But if Mr. Villamin is benefitting personally on government agencies because of his relationships with them, that is a violation of your code of ethics and anti-corruption policies,” ani Alfon.
Napag-alaman sa source sa PTNI na posibleng isalang sa imbestigasyon si Bendijo kaya pinagpahinga sa pagiging newscaster at host sa ilang programa ng government-owned television network.
“I hope that this letter serves its purpose and will not go in vain. Together with my fellow investors, I hope that we can count on you to protect the interest of the public instead of just one person who wronged thousands of Filipinos,” pagtatapos ni Alfon. (May karugtong)
