Tulfo nakuryente, ‘sorry’ tinanggap ni Romualdez

NAGING katanggap-tanggap sa panig ni former Speaker Martin Romualdez ibinunyag na paglabas labas tuwing gabi ng kongresistang nakakulong sa kasong plunder.

“We welcome Mr. Ramon Tulfo’s public acknowledgment that the allegations he circulated concerning former Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez’s supposed unauthorized movements outside his detention facility were false. Mr. Tulfo has admitted that he was fed incorrect information, failed to independently verify it, and subsequently passed it on to the public,” pahayag ng dating House Speaker.

“He has now described the allegations as fiction. This public retraction is significant, particularly because the allegations had already circulated widely and subjected our client to public suspicion and criticism,” dugtong ni Romualdez.

Giit ng legal team ng incumbent Leyte lawmaker, mismong namumuno sa New Quezon City Jail ang nagbigay linaw sa “pasabog” ni Tulfo.

Ayon kay Jail Supt. Maria Lourdes Pacion, walang katotohanan ang alegasyon ng kolumnista. Katunayan aniya, bukas sa sa korte at maging sa publiko ang kuha ng mga CCTV camera sa loob at labas ng pasilidad.

“It is also consistent with the categorical testimony of Jail Superintendent Pacion, who denied that Mr. Romualdez had been leaving the detention facility or using an ambulance or other vehicle for unauthorized trips,” pahayag naman ni Atty. Ade Fajardo na tumatayong tagapagsalita ni Romualdez.

“We appreciate Mr. Tulfo’s willingness to acknowledge his mistake publicly. It takes responsibility to correct an erroneous report, especially after it has gained widespread attention,” aniya pa.

Una nang nagpadala kay Tulfo ng formal demand letter na humihiling sa mamamahayag na tigilan ang pagpapakalat ng maling alegasyon laban kay Romualdez at agad na alisin ang original post o itama ito kasama ang kaukulang paglilinaw.

Binalaan din si Tulfo na gagawin ng kampo ng former House leader ang legal na hakbang kung hindi tutugon sa nasabing mga kahilingan.

“The incident demonstrates the serious harm that can result when unverified information is presented to the public as established fact,” giit ni Fajardo.

“Ang kasinungalingan, kapag paulit-ulit na pinakalat, ay maaaring magmukhang katotohanan. Pero sa huli, ang katotohanan pa rin ang dapat manaig.”