Ramon Tulfo files case vs Santiago couple, companions

MANILA (Updated 1:30 p.m.) -- Newspaper columnist Ramon Tulfo filed physical injuries and grave coercion cases against celebrity couple Raymart Santiago and Claudine Barretto and their companions, a day after they figured in a brawl at an airport in Pasay City.

In his complaint filed before the Pasay City Prosecutor's Office, Tulfo claimed he was mauled by the couple and their companion. Photos of him went viral online showing injuries he sustained from the confrontation.

He said Santiago tried to grab his phone, which contained a photograph of Barretto berating a ground stewardess of Cebu Pacific Air over lost luggage containing medicines for their children and some companions who allegedly have asthma.

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Tulfo said he took the photograph after he heard the actress uttered harsh words to the airline staff and threatened to have them fired.

The media personality earlier said he had no plan to file charges against the showbiz couple but decided otherwise after the couple said they will sue him.

A video footage of the scuffle, which was uploaded on video-sharing site Youtube, showed Tulfo and Santiago and several others exchanging blows.

At one point, Tulfo and a man in pink shirt were shown kicking and punching each other while they were both laid on the floor. Santiago was also seen choking Tulfo while a companion throw punches at the newspaper columnist.

A 59-second video, which went viral few minutes after the airport incident, has been viewed more than 280,000 times as of Monday noon. Same video has gone viral on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.

The two airline personnel who have earned Barretto's ire over her lost luggage said Tulfo did not start the fight.

In an interview over Bombo Radyo, Cebu Pacific ground staff Cid Charisse Bocboc and Kristina Anne Ilagan said Barretto cursed them in front of other passengers at the Ninoy Aquino International (NAIA) Airport Terminal 3.

Efforts to explain the circumstances behind Barretto's lost luggage went futile as the actress wouldn't listen and continued cursing them.

Bocboc and Ilagan said Tulfo tried to record the whole incident using his cellphone but Barretto started shouting at the journalist. At this point, Santiago and his companions allegedly ganged up on Tulfo and a scuffle ensued.

Meanwhile, radio dzMM reported that the management of NAIA said the incident involving Tulfo and Santiago was not captured by the airport's security cameras.

Angel Honrado, NAIA general manager, said no surveillance cameras were installed in the area where the scuffle took place.

Honrado added airport security personnel who are on duty Sunday afternoon will be investigated for alleged lapses. Several witnesses said the airport security personnel have failed to immediately diffuse the tension between both parties which resulted to a fistfight.

But the airport official defended his men against criticism especially from parties involved in the scuffle. He said airport security men are not party to the conflict. (Sunnex)