Erwin Tulfo sues 18 ex-soldiers over shifting suitcase claims
MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED: June 9, 2026; 3:41 p.m.) — Sen. Erwin Tulfo has filed oral defamation complaints against three of the 18 former soldiers who accused him of receiving suitcases from fugitive former lawmaker Zaldy Co.
Tulfo filed the complaints before the Pasay City Prosecutor's Office on Monday, June 8, against Bernard Gumban, Rosebert Waupan and Benny Bulotante for alleged violation of Article 358 of the Revised Penal Code, in relation to Section 6 of the Cybercrime Prevention Act.
Article 358 covers slander or oral defamation, while Section 6 of the cybercrime law raises by one degree the penalty for crimes under the Revised Penal Code when committed through information and communications technologies.
The complaint followed Tulfo’s denial of the former soldiers’ allegation, which he said was not backed by evidence.
The claim was made during a June 4 Blue Ribbon Committee hearing led by the bloc of Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, which Tulfo said was not an official proceeding.
The former soldiers, who claimed to be security aides of Co, alleged that Tulfo received suitcases from the former lawmaker at his residence in San Juan.
In an interview with ANC on June 5, Tulfo said the former soldiers’ allegation that they delivered suitcases of cash to his home in Greenhills was not credible, saying his residence in the exclusive San Juan City village was widely known.
"Nabanggit ba nila [si] Senadora Loren Legarda at yung dalawang Villar? Nabanggit kasi nila noong una e. Hindi! Wala!" Tulfo said. (Did they mention Senator Loren Legarda and the two Villars? They mentioned them before. No, none!)
He was referring to an earlier affidavit the men signed that tagged three senators, including siblings Camille and Mark Villar. While their names were not mentioned at the Cayetano bloc’s "Blue Ribbon" meeting on June 4, Tulfo’s was.
"Binabago-bago nila, so nagsisinungaling ang mga 'yan. Na-areglo na ba sila? Nabulungan na ba sila? Nung una sinabi nila kasama si Loren, kasama 'yung dalawang magkakapatid... bakit ngayon bago na naman?" Tulfo added.
(They changed it, so they’re lying. Did they receive settlement? Were they whispered to? They said at first Loren was part of it, and the two Villar siblings... why has that changed now?)
Complaints against former soldiers
Tulfo is the seventh individual to file complaints against the former soldiers, publicly known as the "18 Marines," before the Philippine military rebuffed the label and cited the dishonorable discharge of some of the accusers.
Several personalities have filed complaints before the Department of Justice over the former soldiers’ statements, including former senator Antonio Trillanes IV, Mamamayang Liberal Rep. Leila de Lima, Fr. Flavie Villanueva, Bureau of Corrections Director Gregorio Catapang Jr. and former National Security Adviser Eduardo Año.
Iloilo Rep. Julienne Baronda also filed complaints against the former soldiers.
Hearing dispute
The former soldiers did not appear at the Gatchalian bloc’s Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on Monday.
Cayetano had earlier warned them that Monday’s hearing was not authorized and told the lawyer of the 18 men that they could not be assured of the same protections before what he described as an improperly constituted proceeding.
The former soldiers attended the June 4 hearing led by Cayetano’s bloc, but the proceedings were not officially recorded by the Senate secretary or transcribed by Senate legislative debate reporters.
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Editor's Note: The latest version of this article corrects the charges filed from libel to oral defamation and clarifies that the complaint was filed with the Pasay City Prosecutor's Office, not the Pasay Regional Trial Court. The libel report was based on an earlier advisory from Sen. Erwin Tulfo's office.
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