Tulfo group, cops in near shootout

Media personality Ramon Tulfo and four of his bodyguards, said to be members of the Philippine Marines, figured in a near shootout with some 20 Parañaque cops after Tulfo’s group allegedly disarmed a four-man police squad which accosted them for a traffic violation at the Sucat Interchange underpass yesterday morning.

In a report by the Parañaque City police, Tulfo and his bodyguards allegedly disarmed a team of Parañaque City policemen who flagged down their vehicles for violating the vehicle reduction scheme of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

The report said one of Tulfo’s bodyguards alleged punched Police Officer 1 Felix Dayag, who was accused by Tulfo’s group of allegedly pointing an Armalite rifle at them.

Parañaque police chief Superintendent Ruben Catabona said Tulfo and his security personnel should be thankful that the Parañaque policemen who arrived to reinforced their beleaguered companions managed to keep their cool during the standoff.

By the time he arrived at the scene at about 9 a.m., Catabona said, some 20 heavily armed Parañaque policemen, including members of the local Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) have surrounded Tulfo’s group with drawn guns.

"Tulfo is a lucky man. If it happened that one of my men was out of his mind and fired his gun, (Tulfo’s group) would have been cut down," said Catabona. "It’s a good thing that my men are not trigger happy and I arrived to calm everybody down. It could have been a big fiasco."

Tulfo and his bodyguards were later disarmed of their pistols and Armalite rifles when they presented themselves before Southern Police District director Chief Superintendent Jose Guttierez for an investigation of the incident.

The Star tried to reach Tulfo over his cellphone but his companion said he was being interviewed by Guttierez.

Reports said Tulfo and his companions were riding on board a blue Toyota Revo (WSB-494) and a blue Isuzu Trooper (WJV-994), which were supposed to be off the streets yesterday under the MMDA traffic reduction scheme.

Guttierez later told newsmen that the incident was a result of a "misunderstanding." He said he did not expect any charges to be filed against anybody."

But in a separate interview, Catabona said his men will definitely file criminal charges against Tulfo and his group for alleged "obstruction of justice" and for "agaw armas," referring to the alleged disarming of the police squad. "Definitely we would file charges," said Catabona. – Jose Aravilla