Tulfo readying frustrated murder raps vs Raymart

MANILA, Philippines - The controversial brawl between actor Raymart Santiago and columnist Ramon Tulfo at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) last May 6 took a new twist yesterday after lawyers of Tulfo claimed that Raymart’s group wanted to kill him at the airport.

Tulfo’s legal counsel Jovito Barte told reporters during the preliminary hearing at the Pasay City Prosecutor’s Office that prior to the free-for-all, one of the companions of Santiago and his wife Claudine Barretto tried to grab the gun of an airport policeman to shoot the columnist.

“We are preparing to upgrade the physical injury charges (against Raymart) to frustrated murder,” Barte said.

Tulfo and his lawyers appeared before Assistant City Prosecutor Manuel Lotero to answer the charges of child abuse and physical injuries filed against him by the celebrity couple.

The camp of Tulfo submitted to the fiscal footages of the brawl taken by the Customs police.

The couple’s lawyer, Rose Ann Casales, said they have yet to read the counter affidavit of Tulfo. Casales said they will present more witnesses to support their case.

Tulfo also submitted a video footage to back up his claim that it was the group of Raymart that started the fight.

The columnist filed charges of grave coercion, grave oral defamation and physical injuries against Raymart before Assistant City Prosecutor Orlando Mariano.

Tulfo claimed that Raymart’s group mauled him after he took pictures of Claudine while berating a ground steward of the Cebu Pacific Airlines.

In their counter-charge, the couple accused Tulfo of assaulting their group and inflicted emotional and psychological trauma on their two children.