CA panel defers hearing on DSWD's Tulfo nomination amid citizenship, libel issues

A Commission on Appointments (CA) committee deferred the deliberations on the ad interim appointment of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Erwin Tulfo, CA Majority Leader Luis Raymund Villafuerte said Tuesday.

"May mga katanungan ang mga members ng CA. May report which was provided sa CA members so we want further clarifications on some of the issues there," Villafuerte said in a chance interview.

Villafuerte said the CA Committee on Social Welfare and Development decided to defer the hearing as another CA panel was scheduled to tackle the appointment of Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan.

"Meron pa kaming ita-tackle ngayon si Secretary Bonoan. So imbes na humaba yung deliberation, we decided to defer for the moment pending further requirements, submissions ng mga tanong ng members ng commission," Villafuerte said.

During the hearing, Caloocan City Representative Oscar Malapitan asked Tulfo if he had renounced his Filipino citizenship when he joined the United States Army in 1988.

Tulfo asked if he could answer the panel in an executive session. The CA panel granted the request.

But before they went into an executive session, SAGIP Representative Rodante Marcoleta followed up on Malapitan's question on Tulfo's citizenship.

"It's about your being an enlisted personnel of the United States Army for several years and you have been in active military service stationed in Europe from 1992 to 1996," said Marcoleta.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but to me, an enlisted personnel in the US army, you are a citizen by birth. You are a US citizen, or you have acquired your citizenship by naturalization," he added.

Marcoleta also brought up Tulfo's conviction by the Pasay Regional Trial Court.

Tulfo, in response, said he was convicted of four counts of libel. He has elevated these cases to the Court of the Appeals.

Marcoleta, in turn, said that libel was an offense that involved moral turpitude.

"In some other cases disposed by the Supreme Court, there were certain people who were disqualified from holding positions because they have been convicted of crimes involving moral turpitude," he added.

Senator Francis Escudero interjected that there were pending bills in Congress which sought to decriminalize libel.

Escudero said it would be "prejudicial and unfair" if the issue was held against Tulfo only to have the bills decriminalizing libel eventually approved by Congress.

In an ambush interview, Tulfo admitted that he had renounced his citizenship.

"I brought the documents with me because I know that they will be asking me (about the citizenship) but I'm prepared," Tulfo said.

The DSWD chief said he became an American citizen in 1988 but is now a Filipino citizen.

Tulfo clarified that the citizenship issue was not because of his enlistment in the US Army. He refused to disclose the reason why he became a US citizen.

As for the libel cases, Tulfo said the CA panel members are deliberating whether the disqualification of public officials due to conviction of crimes involving moral turpitude should also be applicable to appointive positions.

Tulfo said that some CA panel members believed the argument only applied to elective positions and not to appointive positions.

'Colorful love life' 

At the early part of the hearing, Surigao del Sur 2nd District Representative Johnny Pimentel brought up Tulfo's "very colorful love life."

"I was really amused to see some of the facts especially with your personal life and I would like to read: 'Subject official declared that he has 10 children from several women.' I supposed you have a very colorful love life Secretary, and there were four women who are the mothers of your children. Are you still on good terms with the mothers?" the lawmaker asked.

Tulfo, in response, said he already parted ways with the mothers of his children, but they are on "good and talking terms."

"Some of them are in the United States and some of them are here," he added.

At this point, Pimentel asked Tulfo about the possibility that meeting many women would distract him from his duties as the DSWD secretary.

"Considering that your new line of work, the moment you are the Secretary of DSWD, and I suppose you'll be meeting a lot of women in your line of work, hindi po ba magiging sagabal sa trabaho mo 'yon na marami kang makikilalang babae?" he asked.

While admitting he had made mistakes in the past, Tulfo said his perspective on life changed as he grew older.

"As you grow old, you start to look differently in life, your perspective. When we are young, we make mistakes... but I'm not ashamed to say that I made mistakes and from that mistake, you have to make corrections and adjust and you have to bring it until you grow old," Tulfo said. — DVM/VBL, GMA Integrated News