Former PNP chief and Senator-elect Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE
MANILA, Philippines — Senator-elect Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa became the new addition to the long list of government officials and military personnel who defended Social Welfare Secretary Rolando Bautista who was berated on air by radio personality Erwin Tulfo.
In his radio program “Tutok Erwin Tulfo” aired on May 27, Tulfo berated Bautista for refusing to grant him a live interview for the show.
“Sino ba tong buang na ito? Pasensya na, maski tao ka ni Pangulong Duterte, lelecture-an na kita. Listen up and listen good,” Tulfo told Bautista, who is a retired Army general.
This had caught the attention of a number of Bautista’s military colleagues, including former Bureau of Corrections and Philippine National Police chief-turned-senator Dela Rosa.
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“Kung sino man ang gustong mambastos at manakit sa napakabait at napakamaginoong upperclassman ko na ito dumaan muna kayo sa akin para matikman ninyo ang brotherhood ng PMAyers (graduates of Philippine Military Academy),” Dela Rosa said in a Facebook post Saturday.
The PMA Alumni Association had earlier slammed Tulfo for the statement, saying that the radio personality’s remarks against Bautista were “degrading.”
“No matter what reason Mr. Tulfo had, it is not right to use such crude and offensive words against Sec. Bautista,” the PMA Alumni Association said in a statement.
Agustin Nicolas Sotelo, a graduate of PMA Class 1987, also reminded Tulfo that he was able to exercise “your foul-mouthed ways … because of that democracy that soldiers keep for you.”
“I am in no way threatening you. [I am] merely using my right also, as cared for by our uniformed band of brothers, to remind you of the repercussion of having too much freedom… There will always be a time for reckoning!” Sotelo said.
READ: Active, retired soldiers defend DSWD’s Bautista after Tulfo outburst
Tulfo had apologized for his remarks, while stressing that he was only doing his job as a journalist.
“I apologize doon sa excessive na ranting, ‘yung five minutes akong nagwawala. It’s uncalled for,” Tulfo said.
“Pero ‘yung punahin si Sec. Bautista, I think I have a right bilang journalist at hindi ko babawiin ‘yun. Dahil kaming magkakapatid wala sa bokabularyo namin ang bumabawi sa commentary and it is not our option,” he added.
READ: Tulfo apologizes for ‘excessive’ berating of DSWD’s Bautista
Tulfo is reportedly being eyed as the the next Press secretary of President Rodrigo Duterte. (Editor: Jonathan P. Vicente)