Police escorts for Erwin Tulfo, family pulled out

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police has recalled the police escorts of broadcaster Erwin Tulfo, his wife, and two of his siblings, The STAR reports.

The recall comes in the wake of a rant that Tulfo made on his show on state-run Radyo Pilipinas against Social Welfare Rolando Bautista for not agreeing to an on-air interview. The broadcaster even threatened to slap Bautista, a former commanding general of the Philippine Army, and push his head down a toilet bowl. 

The Philippine National Police has removed the security escorts for radio broadcaster Erwn Tulfo, his wife and two other siblings being provided by the agency following his rants and crude language against Social Welfare Secretary Rolando Bautista. pic.twitter.com/Qb0hyAMMf1

— The Philippine Star (@PhilippineStar) June 2, 2019

The secretary had a prior appointment when Tulfo's staff made a request for a phone-in interview before the show, Bautista said in his narration of events. He instead tasked a Department of Social Welfare and Development official to get in touch with Tulfo's staff for the interview.

Tulfo has since walked back his threat to slap the former overall ground commander of the battle for Marawi in 2017 but not before retired as well as active military personnel took issue with it. The Philippine Military Academy Alumni Association Inc. also took issue with Tulfo's "crude and offensive words against Secretary Bautista."

RELATED: Broadcaster apologizes for rants vs DSWD chief

"Clearly, this is not a characteristic of responsible and credible journalism," the alumni association, which said it was looking at filing charges againt the broadcaster, said.

Tulfo has insisted that he was merely doing his job as a journalist. Although journalists are expected to help hold government officials accountable to the people, berating and threatening officials is not among their duties.

Prior to the rant, there had been talk that Tulfo would be appointed press secretary.

Marines recall escorts for brother Ramon

The recall of the police escorts comes on the heels of a recall of Philippine Marines detailed to protect Tulfo's elder brother Ramon, a columnist and who is also President Rodrigo Duterte's special envoy to China for public diplomacy.

According to a report on CNN Philippines, Ramon's two Marine escorts were recalled because they had to be transferred to line units. CNN Philippines quotes Brig. Gen Edgar Arevalo, Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson, as saying the recall of the Marines had been ordered since last year.

He stressed it had nothing to do with Erwin's rant against Secretary Bautista.