Raymart to Tulfo brothers: No point in retaliating

After figuring in a brawl at the airport with columnist Ramon Tulfo over the weekend, actor Raymart Santiago told the Tulfo brothers there was no need for them to retaliate against him.

 

Santiago maintained he hit Tulfo only to defend his wife, actress Claudine Barretto, who was allegedly kicked by the hard-hitting columnist.

 

“Bakit, ang isang mali, maaayos ba ng isang mali ‘yan? Ang nangyari dito, nakaaway ko ‘yung kapatid nila na sa tingin ko naman may punto ako. Sisipain ‘yung asawa ko? Siyempre, gaganti ako,” Santiago said in an interview over GMA News TV’s “News To Go.”

 

Santiago and his companions allegedly ganged up on Tulfo at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 on Sunday after the columnist reportedly took pictures of Barretto scolding ground personnel due to a problem with her luggage.

 

The actor made this statement after Tulfo’s younger brother, broadcast journalist Erwin, challenged Santiago to a fistfight.

 

“Basta ako, Raymart, sabihin mo lang kung saan mo gustong magkape. Isama mo pa ‘yung walong kasama mo at si Claudine. Darating ako. Siguraduhin mo lang, kapag tinawag mo ako, darating ka. Ayoko ‘yung pinaghihintay,” the younger Tulfo said in his radio program.

 

Santiago, for his part, urged the Tulfo brothers to just let their lawyers handle the matter.

 

“Bakit ako kakabahan? Anong mangyayari? Suntukan, tapos suntukan ulit? What’s the point? Hindi naman po kami mga boksingero. Hindi naman ito ‘yung trabaho namin,” the actor said.

 

Tulfo has already filed a complaint against Santiago, Barretto and their companions for grave coercion and physical injuries. Santiago, for his part, had also already expressed his intention to filed the same charges against the columnist.  

Not aware it was Claudine

 

Meanwhile, Tulfo said that he was not aware that the woman he was taking photos of was Barretto.

 

In an interview on GMA News' Unang Balita on Monday, Tulfo said he even felt sympathy for the woman because her luggage was missing. 

 

"Sabi ko mabuti naman at pinagagalitan, kasi ilang beses ko nang tinutuligsa yung Cebu Pacific sa inefficient handling of passengers and cargo, and yung mga bagahe. Dahil naisulat ko na yun sa column ko sa Inquirer ilang beses," the columnist said.

 

He added that he only started taking photos of the incident when Barretto began shouting and demanding to speak with management.

 

"Sinisigaw-sigawan na niya tapos tawagan mo si Gokongwei, si Lance Gokongwei dahil padidismiss kita. Sabi ko, siguro mga kaibigan ito ni Gokongwei kaya ganun na lang ang tingin nila sa mga maliliit na tao kaya kinunan ko. Dalawa lang," he said, referring to the chief executive officer of Cebu Pacific Air.

 

Tulfo said he was then approached by the man he later found out to be Santiago. 

 

"Sabi niya, 'bakit ka kumukuha?' Tapos sinilid ko na sa bulsa ko yung aking cellphone at pilit niyang kinukuhua, kinukimpiska sa akin. Doon na nag umpisa ang gulo dahil tinulak ko tapos umalis na ako," the columnist said.

 

He likewise denied that he was the first to throw a punch, saying he was only provoked by the actor.

 

"Tinulak ko lang siya pagkatapos, I walked away kasi wala siyang karapatan na kunin yung aking cellphone," he said.

 

Tulfo added that at least seven people ganged up on him, as shown in the footage of the brawl spreading online.

 

“Nagpapasalamat ako doon sa kumuha nung video at pinost sa YouTube, kasi nakita nila yung talagang pinagtulungan ako," he said.

 

Tulfo also said that he did not intentionally kick Barretto. "Natadyakan ko siguro nung doon sa video na na pinagtulungan na nila ako... Instinct na siguro yung nangyari doon," he said.

 

Cebu Pacific Air, for its part, said Barretto’s luggage was offloaded and sent to a later flight to prevent the overloading of the aircraft. The airline also apologized to passengers who were inconvenienced by the incident. — Andreo Calonzo and Carmela Lapeña/RSJ, GMA News