Tulfo lawyer: Money from Nabcor not a 'payoff'

MANILA, Philippines — The camp of hard-hitting broadcast journalist Erwin Tulfo admitted receiving money from the National Agribusiness Corporation (Nabcor), but insisted that it was not a "payoff."

"Hindi naman payoff ang tawag do'n e, binayaran siya, advertising expenses, doon sa radio station," Tulfo's lawyer Nelson Borja said in an interview with ABS-CBN News aired Wednesday night.

"Legal ang transaksyon," Borja added.

Reports based on the sworn statements of former Nabcor officials Victor Cacal and Rhodora Mendoza said that Tulfo and Carmelo del Prado Magdurulang popularly known as Melo del Prado accepted P245,535 in bribes from then Department of Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap in 2009.

The Nabcor officials' sworn statements were submitted to the Department of Justice (DOJ) as part of their application to become state witnesses in the government's case against several lawmakers and businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles in connection with the multi-billion pesos pork barrel scam.

The two former Nabcor officials are also respondents in the plunder and malversation charges filed by the DOJ before the Office of the Ombudsman.

Borja said that the news article on the supposed bribe are unacceptable and that his client is planning to file charges.

"That is malicious, that is libelous, and that is damaging, especially sa status in Erwin Tulfo," Borja said.

Mendoza and Cacal reportedly detailed Nabcor's participation  in the pork barrel fund scam.

Tulfo is a hard-hitting broadcast journalist of TV5, which has said that it will "stand by" the media personality.

Tulfo also denied allegations of bribery in his Radyo Singko program and on his column with the Manila Times. - Camille Diola