Senator Erwin Tulfo has vehemently denied allegations tying him to suitcases filled with cash allegedly originating from anomalous flood control projects, dismissing the claims as a calculated smear campaign aimed at destroying his reputation.
In a public statement, Tulfo cast doubt on the credibility of Bernard Gumban—a witness presented as a former Philippine Marines member who testified during a controversial Senate hearing.
The senator pointed out several glaring inconsistencies between Gumban’s live testimony and his prior sworn statements.
“Una, sabi niya sa kanyang naunang sinumpaang salaysay, nag-deliver raw siya sa akin ng anim na medium-sized na maleta. Ngunit, galing na mismo sa kanyang bibig kanina na dalawa at anim na maleta ang kanyang idinedeklara,” Tulfo said.
Tulfo also highlighted conflicting details regarding the exact amounts of money the suitcases supposedly contained.
“Pangalawa, pati sa halaga ng diumano’y nilalaman ng mga maleta, nagkagulo-gulo na. Sabi dati, kapag small, ₱15 to ₱25 million ang laman tapos ngayon, ₱20 to ₱25 million. Samantalang sa medium, ₱30 to ₱40 million sa affidavit, tapos ₱40 to ₱50 million naman ngayon. Ano ba talaga?” he added.
According to the legislator, these shifting narratives severely weaken the legitimacy of the accusations and expose flaws in the congressional testimony.
Furthermore, Tulfo questioned the fairness of the probe, noting that several political figures mentioned in previous affidavits were noticeably absent from the latest statements.
“Ito ba ang sinasabi nilang impartial investigation? Kapag kaalyado ligtas ka, kapag tagapagtuligsa, delikado ka?” Tulfo asked.
Denouncing the inquiry as a politically charged assault rather than a standard legislative review, he characterized the situation as a well-orchestrated propaganda effort targeting his character.
Tulfo, who assumed leadership of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee following a chamber reorganization on Wednesday, maintained that legislative inquiries must rely strictly on solid evidence rather than unverified claims.
He confirmed that the committee will proceed with its official probe into the flood control irregularities during a scheduled hearing on June 8 under the new Senate leadership.
“Magkita-kita tayo sa lehitimong blue ribbon committee hearing,” he concluded.