Tourism regional director Jeff Ortega drew flak after being caught on video calling former senator Bongbong Marcos vice president of the Philippines.
Ortega trended on Twitter and was slammed by netizens for refusing to acknowledge Vice President Leni Robredo, who defeated Marcos in the 2016 elections.
On Instagram, Jeff Ortega introduced Marcos as “former senator and vice president” during the region’s tourism branding launch.
The video, which he posted on Ortega’s Instagram page on October 6, already garnered nearly 13,000 views as of writing.
“We only have one duly-elected VP, and that’s VP
@lenirobredo. So please get over of your illusion, Jeff Ortega,” one Twitter user wrote.
“Public office is public trust. You cannot proclaim Marcos as vice president when it is public knowledge that it is far from truth. Jeff Ortega should be dismissed for blatant disregard of the law and constitution!” another netizen said.
Jeff Ortega came from a prominent political clan in La Union. He was appointed tourism director in Ilocos Region in September 2019.
Before becoming a DOT official, Ortega was an entrepreneur and known as the boyfriend of actress Jasmine Curtis-Smith.
Ortega was the youngest regional director for tourism who assumed his post when he was only 29 years old.
Tourism official Jeff Ortega calls Bongbong Marcos vice president
“Thank you to President Rodrigo Duterte for strengthening the youth and giving us an opportunity to serve the Filipino people as well as to the current Secretary of Tourism [Bernadette Romulo-Puyat] for trusting me with the tough but exciting new job!” Ortega said in 2019.
“I still have a long way to go but I’m looking forward to gaining more experiences during my term with my new DOT (Department of Tourism) family,” he added.
In the 2016 general elections, Vice President Robredo beat Marcos in the vice-presidential race by over 263,000 votes, the closest in recent memory.
Marcos has a pending election protest against Robredo before the Supreme Court, sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal.
Meanwhile, the Department of Tourism (DOT) reminded its employees “to perform and discharge their duties with the highest degree of excellence and professionalism.”
“We remain guided by the Civil Service Commission (CSC), especially in expressing views on current political problems or issues,” the agency said.