Tulfo vows to verify allegations vs. Sara Duterte like a journo

Senator-elect Erwin Tulfo said Monday his previous stint as a journalist makes him well-equipped to sit as one of the senator-judges for the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

Tulfo made the response when asked of his preparations for the looming impeachment trial, given that he is a neophyte senator who finished fourth in the recent 2025 midterm polls.

“Sa tingin ko po may experience naman tayo, lalo na tayo ay galing sa media. Tayo sa media, pag meron pong dinala po na balita sa atin, o istorya, o scoop, o exclusive, lalo na pag ito ay paratang sa isang tao, ito isang anomalya, kaagad po natin tinatanong po ‘yung source natin, ano ba mga ebidensya, saan ba galing ito, meron ka bang katibayan?” Tulfo, who won under President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s slate Alyansa sa Bagong Pilipinas, said in an Unang Balita interview.

(I believe I have experience especially that I am from the media. We in the media, whenever we receive a news, a story, a scoop, or an exclusive, especially if it is an allegation against a person regarding an anomaly, we immediately ask our source about their evidence, where did they get it, do they have a proof?)

“At pagkatapos po tinatanong po natin ‘yung inaakusahan kung totoo po ba ito, ano naman po ang masasabi ninyo. Basically, parang ganyan din po ang tingin ko [na mangyayari]. Kailangan po natin pakinggan at makita 'yung mga ebidensya na dadalhin po sa korte ng prosecution. Ganon din po 'yung pieces of evidence at counter affidavit or statement naman po ng kabilang panig, ng panig po ni Vice President Sara,” he said.

(And then we ask the one being accused if it is true, what can they say about it. Basically, that's what I think will happen. We need to listed and see the evidence that will be brought to the impeachment court by the prosecution. The same with the pieces of evidence, counter affidavit, or statement of the other camp, the side of Vice President Sara.)

Tulfo then reiterated that he did not sign the impeachment complaint against Duterte back in February as an ACT-CIS party-list representative since doing so would taint his judgement in the event he wins a Senate seat in the May 2025 polls.

“Magiging tainted na po tayo [kung pumirma na ako noon]. Alam ko pong aakyat po tayo sa Senado at magiging senator-judge e...kung nanalo nga. At ito nga po, nanalo tayo. Kung ako po ay nagbigay na ng aking desisyon, pumirma na ho ako doon e tainted na ho [kahit] hindi ko pa nakikita ‘yung mga ebidensya naman ng kabila,” Tulfo said.

(My standing as a judge will be tainted had I signed it. I knew that we would be elevated to the Senate and we would have to serve as one of the judges if we won, and we indeed won. Had I decided to sign the impeachment complaint back then, I would be a tainted judge eventhough I am yet to see the evidence of the other side.)

Over 200 House members impeached the Vice President in February after the House good government and public accountability panel's inquiry on the use of confidential funds by the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) under Duterte's leadership.

Tulfo said the congressional inquiry findings are mere allegations, and he cannot decide without hearing the response of the other party.

“Mahirap po magsalita na sasabihin nating guilty e hindi ko po nakikita 'yung kabilang panig. Ginamit ko lang po 'yung pagiging journalist ko na gusto ko rin po marinig 'yung kabilang panig,” he added.

(It is hard for me to say if she is guilty or not when I am yet to see her defense. I went on journalist mode, because I wanted to hear her side first.) —AOL, GMA Integrated News