A big row over whether Duty Free Philippines’ General Manager Michael Kho should be suspended has been brought to an end by the government’s Tourism Secretary Joseph Durano.

This follows a 60 day suspension order which was issued by Philippine Tourism Authority General Manager Robert Dean Barbers after a case was filed against Kho by DFP Employees Association President Dennis Mallari. The case alleged that Kho had entered into concession accords with DFP suppliers beyond the one-year limit set by government. But according to local media, Kho has now revealed that Mallari had his own agenda after being suspended himself for stealing a customer’s mobile phone, an incident caught on DFP’s store security cameras.
At the same time, members of the Philippine Tourism Authority board have expressed their confidence in Kho, along with 300 DFP employees while DFP Employees Association members are now said to be looking to remove Mallari from his position following the mobile phone incident.