Tulfo sues 3 ex-Co aides for grave oral defamation over Senate claims

By Wilnard Bacelonia, Philippine News Agency

‘MALICIOUS ACCUSATIONS’. Sen. Erwin Tulfo, accompanied by legal counsel Jovito Barate, files a complaint for grave oral defamation before the Pasay City Prosecutor’s Office on Monday (June 8, 2026) against three former bodyguards of fugitive lawmaker Zaldy Co. The complaint stems from allegations aired during a June 4 press conference at the Senate linking Tulfo to alleged cash deliveries and human trafficking activities. (PNA photo by Avito Dalan)

MANILA – Sen. Erwin Tulfo has filed a complaint for grave oral defamation against three former bodyguards of former Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co over allegations aired during a June 4 press conference at the Senate linking him to alleged cash deliveries and human trafficking activities.

In a 13-page complaint-affidavit filed Monday, Tulfo asked the Pasay City Prosecutor’s Office to indict Bernard Gumban, Rosebert Waupan and Benny Bulontate for grave oral defamation under Article 358 of the Revised Penal Code, in relation to Section 6 of Republic Act 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

Tulfo said the respondents made the statements during what he described as an irregular Senate proceeding that was streamed live on social media and later amplified through news reports, interviews and online commentaries.

He said the June 4 activity was held despite a prior notice postponing and resetting the Blue Ribbon committee hearing to a later date, and following the June 3 shift in Senate majority leadership that led to the election of a new committee chairperson.

Tulfo said Gumban accused him during the proceeding of receiving luggage allegedly containing millions of pesos in cash.

“These malicious accusations against my person was elicited through the questioning of former SP (Senate President) Alan Cayetano on why the name of Senator Erwin Tulfo was included in the Complaint-Affidavit,” Tulfo said.

He denied receiving illegal money from Co or any other person.

“I have never authorized, facilitated, or benefited from any flood-control project or from any illegal transaction,” Tulfo said in his complaint.

Tulfo described the allegations as “fantastic and outright lies,” arguing that Gumban could not even categorically state the specific address of his alleged house in Greenhills, while details regarding the size of the luggage and the amount of money it supposedly contained were inconsistent.

He said the accusations caused him “public ridicule, contempt, scorn, suspicion, and humiliation” and damaged his reputation as a senator, public servant, broadcaster and family man.

The complaint also cited statements made by Waupan and Bulontate, who allegedly implicated Tulfo in human trafficking-related activities involving women supposedly brought to him at hotels.

Tulfo likewise denied the allegations, saying the statements were baseless and malicious.

“I vehemently deny that such engagements ever occurred and took place at any given time and on any of those mentioned places,” he said.

Tulfo said the respondents should not use privilege or immunity as a shield because the June 4 proceeding was not a duly constituted Blue Ribbon committee hearing and was held outside what he described as proper legislative processes.

He said the statements were made despite the pendency of their own submissions before the Office of the Ombudsman, where the allegations could have been tested through the proper legal process.

Tulfo said the public airing of the allegations inflicted substantial injustice on his reputation and standing in the community.

The complaint-affidavit also sought the filing of the corresponding information in court against the three respondents.

This article is republished from PNA.