Raymart, Claudine to sue Tulfo for 'grave threats'

By CARMELA G. LAPEÑA, GMA News

Published May 8, 2012 12:00pm

Actor Raymart Santiago and his wife, actress Claudine Barretto, said they intend to sue columnist Ramon Tulfo for allegedly making grave threats against them after the three figured in a scuffle at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) last weekend. On Tuesday, in a report of "Unang Balita" on GMA Channel 7, Atty. Alex Avisado, the lawyer of Santiago and Barretto, said: "Sobrang affected si Claudine sa mga threat na natanggap nila. Pinaghahandaan po namin, dinodocument po namin ang nangyari because legally actionable din ang statements na yun." "Although sabi ni Raymart, naiintindihan namin niya na mataas ang emosyon at kapatid yun, dedepensahan lang nila ang kapatid nila. Sana maintindihan nila na dinedepensahan lang ni Raymart ang kanyang asawa," Avisado said.

Avisado said the threats made against the couple — aside from the couple's complaints of physical injury and child abuse against Tulfo — were legally actionable. The couple will be filing charges against Tulfo, who has already lodged a complaint against Santiago, Barretto, and several "John Does" for physical injuries.

Santiago said they would bring their children to the doctor because of the trauma. "Meron po silang schedule sa doctor bukas dahil sa na trauma nga," said Santiago.

"Violation ng child abuse law dahil sa emotional trauma na na-experience nung mga bata na sa harap nila ay sinasaktan yung kanilang ina," said Avisado. "Dahil nauna siyang mag-file (Tulfo), karapatan ni Raymart at ni Claudine na ipagtanggol ang sarili nila at magsampa rin ng kontra-demanda kay Mon Tulfo," said Avisado.

In a report of the "Saksi" newscast on GMA 7 on Monday, Santiago said: "Hindi natin siguro matatanggal yung takot, pero natural na reaction yun na kapag merong nagthrethreat sayo, nakakatakot." Tulfo and Santiago engaged in a scuffle at the NAIA-3 after Santiago saw Tulfo taking footage of Barretto scolding a ground personnel of Cebu Pacific.

Santiago earlier said there was no point in retaliating, after Tulfo's younger brother allegedly challenged the actor to a fistfight. In his radio program on Monday, broadcast journalist Erwin Tulfo, the younger brother of the columnist, reportedly said: “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."

Tulfo's lawyer said the brothers' threats were not serious. "Hindi ko masasabing seryoso yun eh. Sa isang kapatid, na nalaman mong naapi at sobrang nadehado, siguro yung mga sinasabi nila ay isang pahayag lamang ng kanilang disgusto sa nangyari," said Atty. Jovito Barte in a separate interview on Unang Balita.

"Tingin ko para ilagay nila ang batas sa kanilang kamay, ito siguro ay malabong mangyari. Emotional disgust. Kung iisipin mo nga naman, yung kuya nila ay senior citizen na, pinagtulungan. Despite his age, hindi siya ginalang at siya pa ay pinagtulungan," Barte added.

In an interview on Balitanghali on Tuesday, Tulfo said he scolded each of his brothers over the phone. "Pinagalitan ko sila. Kahapon, tinawagan ko sila isa't isa at sinabi ko mali yung ginawa nila," said Tulfo.

He said that although he understood his brothers, people should not take revenge.

"Kapatid ko sila. Naintindihan ko yung ginawa nilang pagbabanta lalo na't nakitang umiiyak sila pero mali yung ginawa nila dahil hindi dapat naghihiganti yung tao. Wala na yun, tapos na, nagkasakitan na. Revenge is the lowest form of retaliation para sa akin," said Tulfo.

Tulfo also said Erwin already apologized to him but he did not know if Erwin also apologized in public.

"Unang una, yung paghihiganti mali. Nasa Old Testament na yan, yung an eye for an eye, lumang batas na yan. Bagong batas eh dapat pagmamahal," Tulfo said. - VVP, GMA News

Tags: raymartsantiago, claudinebarretto, ramontulfo, naia