By ELLEN TORDESILLAS
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 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.