I was not the only one duped by “Mon Tulfo”

Retired Marine Col. Ariel Querubin

Retired Marine Col. Ariel Querubin

My first person account last Monday on being duped by a con artist who introduces himself as “Mon Tulfo” elicited responses, two of them from fellow victims.

One was retired Marine Col. Ariel Querubin.

Remember last August, there was a news report of death threats to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, National Bureau of Investigation Nonnatus Rojas, and Atty. Levito Baligod, lawyer of whistleblowers in pork barrel scandal involving businesswoman Janet Napoles?

Querubin said a “Mon Tulfo”, who really sounded very much like tri-media personality Ramon Tulfo, called him up saying that the hired assassin to De Lima, Rojas, and Baligod contacted him and said he was backing out of the contract. “Mon Tulfo” said he and his men were bringing the person to Manila and they will have a press conference at max restaurant near the DOJ.

He asked Querubin for some help in gasoline money. He asked that the money be sent through Palawan Pawnshop. Querubin sent P5,000.

The next day, Querubin scanned the newspapers for news item on the supposedly hired killer’s press conference and didn’t find any. He texted “Mon Tulfo” about it. He never got a reply.

Anna (not her real name), who asked not to be identified, works as a communication officer of an environmental group. She said she got a text message from someone who introduced himself as “Mon Tulfo”. He was inquiring “if I was the partylist nominee of a certain dubious partylist. He said he wanted to interview me about the partylist. But I said I’m in no way connected to that group.”

That was the end of the conversation.

She said as media coordinator, she kept Tulfo’s contact details and would send him press releases about their activities. She even texted him last July if they could guest in his radio show about mercury leak in Fabella. He agreed but for some reason or another, she had to cancel her group’s guesting. She apologized and “Tulfo” told her not to worry about it.

After a few minutes, she got a text asking for donation for a medical and dental mission that he was organizing for Subic. She needed it immediately as the group was leaving. She sent P250 through Tambunting Pawnshop.

Last September, Anna said something happened that she needed help from someone with clout. Her friend’s baby was ‘hostaged’ by a hospital in Paranaque because she can’t pay their bill amounting to P1 million.

Anna connected here friend with “Tulfo”. Her friend said “Tulfo” asked for donation to his Foundation and she gave P1,500.
Anna said “Tulfo” called up her friend again asking for P10,000 to pay the van to rescue the baby. He said he will bring Health Secretary Enrique Ona and Undersecretary Eric Tayag.

They didn’t give him the P10,000 and the “rescue” operation never happened. They realized they were duped. They were able to bring out the baby later with the help of Sen. Pia Cayetano.
Let’s beware of this evil person.

Con artist preys on sympathy for Yolanda victims

Relief distribution in Antique. Photo by Jun Tens.

Relief distribution in Antique. Photo by Jun Tens.

This is painful for me to relate because it is embarrassing. My friends and I have been victimized by a scam artist.

Mahirap aminin na naging tanga kami ngunit ganun na nga.

Last Friday, a “Ramon Tulfo” called me up. I did not have doubts that he was Mon Tulfo, the Inquirer columnist, because it was the number of Mon Tulfo that I have in my directory for a long time. Through that number, I have talked with “Mon Tulfo” about other issues like the Ampatuan massacre. (I’m having doubts now. Was the person I talked with months earlier not Mon Tulfo?)

The “Mon Tulfo” that I talked with last Friday said he has read my column in Abante about our province, Antique, having been badly hit also by typhoon Yolanda. He said he has received donations of 500,000 plastic pails from businessman “Plastic King” William Gatchalian. He said he has filled those pails with packs of rice, canned goods and other items from donations of former Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn and businessman Mark Jimenez. He said he would like to give 50,000 of those pails to Antique. Later on, he increased the number to 100,000. He asked for my help to connect with a non-political contact in Antique.

I got excited and connected him with some friends. Saturday morning, he said he has borrowed five trucks from FF. Cruz Construction to bring the goods to Antique via RoRo. He asked me if we could handle the trucks’ gasoline requirements. He said he was sending his son,Rey, to accompany the relief goods. I thought it was not unreasonable considering the quantity of the donations that would go a long way to help my suffering provincemates.

Lining up for assistance. Photo by Jun Tens.

Lining up for assistance. Photo by Jun Tens.

After we sent the money through Palawan Pawnshop, we could not get in touch with “Tulfo” anymore. After a few hours, we realized we were duped.

I got scared because I also referred him to tenor Arthur Espiritu, who was also helping Yolanda’s victims in Llorente, Eastern Samar, the hometown of his wife, Christina.

I immediately contacted Espiritu and was so relieved that he was wiser and did not fall into the scam. This is excerpts from Espiritu’s Facebook post:

“I have to share this to you all. A guy posing as Mon Tulfo claimed that he had about 50,000 pails filled with relief goods. And we got hooked. We were so happy that we were getting so much items for the relief goods. Then today he called a few times. He said that he will deliver half of the items tonight, only problem is, it would be a good gesture to put in money for gasoline. It’s a 44 liter tank daw. So I said great we will wait for the items then and get gas along with the driver. He did suggest that we send it via M Llhuillier. And his security personnel will receive the money to pay for the gas. Low and behold after a while, I called him and the number was not available. I even texted him the place to drop off the items. I hope he does not go to the addresses. But, he really sounded like Mon Tulfo. Please don’t believe this fake. We almost sent him 5,000 php.

“Even in these times we have people like these. Leeches that deserve to go to hell. Thank God I did not agree to send money. I said I’d rather see the person with the goods.

“ Please watch out for these posers. May God Bless us.”

I still have to contact the real Mon Tulfo. I hope he will help me find this scammer masquerading as him.