The Tulfo bros: Hecklers or heroes?

MANILA, Philippines - Ben, Raffy, and Erwin Tulfo  hosts of TV5’s number one show T3  are the pioneers of media justice on steroids. When the state is weak — when PO1 detains Juan dela Cruz illegally, when the cops can’t crack down on a shabu factory, when a mayor abets corruption  the Tulfos are strong. Some call it vigilantism. But in a country where there are so many corrupt bullies, you need big brothers to stand up for you. 

The toughest brothers on TV and radio grew up nomadic. A military father ensured not only that they lived in a strict household, but also a moving one. “Our environment was unstable,” explains Ben. “Where our father went, we’d go.”

The older Tulfo siblings like fellow journalist brother Mon grew up in the frontier land of Muslim Mindanao, in places of conflict like Jolo. The younger Tulfos of T3, what Ben calls “the juniors,” lived in Zamboanga, Manila, and Palawan.

“Moving around can create trauma,” says Erwin, who is possibly the most introspective among the three. “Every year, you have different classmates. You have a best friend, then you leave. It’s sad.”

In every new town, the brothers had to make new friends and stare down new bullies. But unlike the doting parents of today, their father Ramon left his kids to fend for themselves. “If we were bullied, our father would beat us up,” recalls Raffy. It was their fault if somebody picked on them “So we became strong and we learned not to rely on anybody.”

“Eventually we learned to fight the bully and kill the bully. Which just means were able to tame the bully,” Ben adds.

They are superheroes

Insofar as the Tulfos take law enforcement into their own hands, they are superheroes. Superheroes, after all, are symbols of a society’s yearning for justice amid a rotting political system. And like superheroes, Tols Ben, Raffy, and Erwin trace the origins of their corruption-fighting elan to their childhood.

“In the 1960s,” says Raffy, “mayroong tao yung daddy ko na inapi ng NBI. He was tortured. Nalaman ng daddy ko ito, so ni-raid niya yung buong NBI. He disarmed the NBI.” In the aftermath of the raid, Ramon Tulfo Sr. lost his job. But his son Raffy learned to side with the small guy regardless of the consequences.

All three brothers remember their mother, Caridad, giving away food, clothing, and money to the wives of military men. If the military could not provide for its people, their mother could step in. Today, if the government can’t discipline its own, T3 steps in.

Personas

Like superheroes, the Tulfos have personas, masks they put on in crusades more psychological than physical. Raffy is the fast-talking, lawyerly pitbull, who outsmarts officials trained in the bureaucratic art of palusot. Ben — always in dark glasses — is the enforcer, who will “turn off the camera” if you challenge his resolve. Erwin, who served in the US Army during Dessert Storm, is the steely backbone.

They take their personas seriously, but they are not beyond making fun of their own reputations. 

“Anong meron dito? Sino ang bibitagin natin,” Ben chuckles as he shakes my hand for the first time (the handshake is firm, but, unlike what I expected, my hand was not crushed). The quip is a reference to his show, Bitag, where Ben chases and exposes syndicates and criminals.

When our photographer asks the brothers to pose for a “jump shot (see page H-1),” Ben objects: “’Pag ginawa ko yan, baka wala nang matakot sa akin.” We all laugh. The brothers jump and pose. While horsing around with each other, they do seem tamer than their on-screen selves.

Tough MEN

Lest I be misconstrued, the brothers are tough. Ben really does know martial arts, and he does walk around with a gun. But he knows how to ham up his image for added effect.

“We’re different on TV; people are scared,” admits Erwin. “But when we’re with our families, we don’t show that side; we leave it at work.” Every true macho has a soft side, and the Tulfos are no exception. 

After I interview all three individually, I follow them to the set of T3. The set is hallowed ground as it is the site of greatest moment in Pinoy TV history: the verbal assault on Raymart Santiago.

I watch from the back as the brothers lash out against an MMDA officer who illegally towed a truck in Quezon City. The segment, as expected, is high octane, with the three taking their turns at dishing out pagalit against an erring government official.

During the commercial break, I notice all three brothers look down, maybe in order to rest or to review their scripts. I stand up from where I’m seated behind the cameras, thank them profusely, and walk out of the studio.

I wonder if the brothers are tired. I wonder if dealing with corruption every day, if seeing the dirty underbelly of Philippine politics, can cause disillusionment with the system.

When I enter my car, I soon forget about my musings. T3 is still on. I immediately feel Tulfo withdrawal.  I turn on my radio and get more Tulfo.

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