Ex-envoy Mon Tulfo no longer covered by anti-graft laws —Palace

Journalist Ramon Tulfo is no longer a special ambassador of the Philippines to China, so he is not covered by the country's anti-graft laws anymore, Malacañang said Thursday.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque made the remark after Tulfo admitted getting inoculated against COVID-19 with a smuggled vaccine and even considering putting up a Sinopharm distributorship in the country.

"I have no personal knowledge tungkol sa mga bagay na sinasabi ni Mon Tulfo. So I really cannot comment on something I don't know anything about," Roque said in a briefing.

"Pero ang malinaw, si Mon Tulfo na ang naglinaw, hindi na siya special envoy to China, and he is no longer covered by anti-graft laws of the country," he added.

Tulfo clarified that when he got the vaccine shot, his appointment as special envoy to China had expired.

“Kasi ang Special Envoy to China,  ang appointment niyan is good for six months each time. Last year, 'di ko nai-renew yung appointment ko because of the pandemic. So technically, my appointment as special envoy had already expired when I got that vaccination,” he said

Considering he is no longer a government official, Tulfo maintained there was no conflict of interest on his part when he applied to be the distributor of the Chinese vaccine.

For his part, Roque said President Rodrigo Duterte cannot compel Tulfo to participate in the investigations regarding the smuggling of vaccines.

"As far as Mon Tulfo is concerned, he clarified he is no longer special envoy to China, he is a private citizen so he can do as he pleases. And the President is not in position to compel him to do anything. The President does not have subpoena powers," he said.

"The President is a president, not a policeman, not an NBI agent. We leave that to the police and the NBI," he added.

Currently, the Food and Drug Administration and the National Bureau of Investigation are investigating the issue on the Sinopharm vaccination.

“The NBI has an ongoing investigation on the alleged importation, entry, sale, and administration of unregistered COVID19 vaccines in the underground market. I will leave it to the NBI to determine if it’s necessary or relevant to invite Ramon Tulfo to shed light on the matter,” Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said.

Earlier, the Department of Health earlier said the investigation would cover Tulfo. —LBG, GMA News