On new Senate coup: No idea, says Erwin Tulfo

Less than a week after a sudden coup d'etat resulted in a change in Senate leadership, Senator Erwin Tulfo said on Sunday that he has “no idea” on whether another one is brewing.

“Pertaining to the media on a coup de etat, tinatanong ako sa media e napahiya na ako diyan, ‘Wala, walang kudeta’, meron palang kudeta. Ngayon wala akong idea kung may kudeta ba. Nababasa ko lang na sinasabi ni Senator (Alan Peter) Cayetano na may ilang majority na nakausap ng ilang minority,” Tulfo said during an interview on Super Radyo as to whether there are coup discussions happening among the minority bloc.

He said there are no consultations on the matter reaching him and his brother, fellow senator Raffy Tulfo.

“Baka mamayang gabi? I don’t know? Baka bukas ng umaga?”, the solon surmised.

Tulfo cited certain instances from previous Senate Presidents that preceded possible leadership changes.

“Kasi dati may pinapapirmahan from Chiz (Escudero) to SP (Tito) Sotto. ‘Yung show of support. Wala naman nagpapapirma sa akin,” he said. Tulfo said he has not signed any paper.

(Before there were signatures for Chiz Escudero and Tito Sotto in a show of support. No one is asking me to sign anything.)

Instead, Tuflo said he and other members of the minority bloc about certain accusations being leveled against them by the senators in the new majority.

“Nag usap lang kami sa group chat namin na pinagbibintangan kami the day after. Lahat ng nine senators: bakit ganoon? Bakit tayo ‘yung pinagbibintangan? Hindi yata tama iyun,” he said.

(What we were talking about in our group chat is why are we the ones being blamed the day after the incident. All nine senators are asking why. Why are we the ones being blamed? That does not seem right.)

“This is what I have been explaining to everybody. You were there: Senate President Cayetano said there will be a caucus, lahat kami (everyone), all members, at the executive lounge. Then bandang 4 o’clock binawa na iyun. Sinabi, ‘hindi, majority na lang’ (By 4 p.m. he took it back, saying it was only for the majority),” he said.

He explained the absence of the senate minority during the alleged shooting incident at the Senate on Wednesday: “Caucus is closed door. Majority lang. E ano ang gagawin ng minority? Makiki chismis? To hang around? It’s unfair na pagbibintangan na umalis kami, na pakana namin. No we don’t have an idea. Hindi kami sinama sa caucus.

(What would the minority do? Look for rumors? It’s unfair that we are being blamed for leaving, that we were behind it… we were not included in the caucus.)

After leaving the Senate, Tulfo said he attended to personal matters: “I had dinner at Solaire with my family. My chief of staff, Jerico Javier, was the one who texted me, ‘Boss, nagkakagulo sila, may barilan. Nilusob daw ang Senate.’

The senator said he monitored online news media on what was occurring at the Senate premises.

On Cayetano

He said it was unfair for Cayetano to take the fall for what transpired last week that included an alleged shooting incident and the sudden disappearance of Senator Bato dela Rosa who is facing an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court for charges of crimes against humanity for murder.

“Unfair at this point that the Senate President aakuin niya– hindi pa tapos ang imbestigasyon ‘di ba? Importante makipag coordinate ang Senate leadership sa investigation para malaman natin na under attack ba? Nilusob ba ng NBI o hindi? It’s too early to call na akuin niya. Mas importante for SP Cayetano to call for an investigation para may black and white. Malinis ang konsensya natin lahat diyan sa Senado,” Tulfo said.

“Ngayon ko pa lang makakasama si Alan Cayetano in fairness… Tapos dalawa or tatlong araw pa lang siya as Senate President. Wala pa talagang nagagawa. Unfair naman na palitan si Cayetano. I’ll just keep to myself ang observations ko. Bigyan muna ng pagkakataon para makita natin kung bagay o dapat siya diyan,” he said

According to Cayetano, members of the majority bloc have been invited to have coffee, a euphemism for a private talk or meeting, or are being threatened.

“Kung ayaw nila e ‘di huwag silang sumama,” Tulfo said.

(The should not join if they don't want to.)

On Tulfo’s end, what he wishes is for the sponsorship of the bills that are now on the Senate floor to proceed. But with the changes in committee chairmanships, he said a different set or priorities could mean a waste in the previous sponsorships.

“Sikat na sikat tayo sa buong mundo. Grabe headlines sa New York sa kung saan-saan… nakakahiya. Tinalo natin ang ibang bansa. Sa ibang bansa nagsusuntukan lang ang mga mambabatas, mga members of parliament nagbubugbugan. Dito barilan. Hindi ko malaman nilusob ba or ‘lusob me’ ba ang tawag diyan? Nakakahiya," he said.

(It's embarassing. The headlines in New York and everywhere. In other countries lawmakers just use fists or punch one another. Here we shoot each other. I don't know whether if it was an attack or what some might call "attack me".)

"I guess the only way na mabago ito is for us to keep on doing our jobs and keep on working. Huwag naman masakripisyo yung mga kababayan natin mga bills na kailangan natin ipasa. Huwag na ‘yung mga puro away na lang. We have a lot of problems- energy, low salaries, healthcare,” he added —RF, GMA News