Mahirap aminin na naging tanga kami ngunit ganun na nga.
Last Friday, a “Ramon Tulfo” called me up. I did not have doubts that he was Mon Tulfo, the Inquirer columnist, because it was the number of Mon Tulfo that I have in my directory for a long time. Through that number, I have talked with “Mon Tulfo” about other issues like the Ampatuan massacre. (I’m having doubts now. Was the person I talked with months earlier not Mon Tulfo?)
The “Mon Tulfo” that I talked with last Friday said he has read my column in Abante about our province, Antique, having been badly hit also by typhoon Yolanda. He said he has received donations of 500,000 plastic pails from businessman “Plastic King” William Gatchalian. He said he has filled those pails with packs of rice, canned goods and other items from donations of former Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn and businessman Mark Jimenez. He said he would like to give 50,000 of those pails to Antique. Later on, he increased the number to 100,000. He asked for my help to connect with a non-political contact in Antique.
I got excited and connected him with some friends. Saturday morning, he said he has borrowed five trucks from FF. Cruz Construction to bring the goods to Antique via RoRo. He asked me if we could handle the trucks’ gasoline requirements. He said he was sending his son,Rey, to accompany the relief goods. I thought it was not unreasonable considering the quantity of the donations that would go a long way to help my suffering provincemates.
I got scared because I also referred him to tenor Arthur Espiritu, who was also helping Yolanda’s victims in Llorente, Eastern Samar, the hometown of his wife, Christina.
I immediately contacted Espiritu and was so relieved that he was wiser and did not fall into the scam. This is excerpts from Espiritu’s Facebook post:
“I have to share this to you all. A guy posing as Mon Tulfo claimed that he had about 50,000 pails filled with relief goods. And we got hooked. We were so happy that we were getting so much items for the relief goods. Then today he called a few times. He said that he will deliver half of the items tonight, only problem is, it would be a good gesture to put in money for gasoline. It’s a 44 liter tank daw. So I said great we will wait for the items then and get gas along with the driver. He did suggest that we send it via M Llhuillier. And his security personnel will receive the money to pay for the gas. Low and behold after a while, I called him and the number was not available. I even texted him the place to drop off the items. I hope he does not go to the addresses. But, he really sounded like Mon Tulfo. Please don’t believe this fake. We almost sent him 5,000 php.
“Even in these times we have people like these. Leeches that deserve to go to hell. Thank God I did not agree to send money. I said I’d rather see the person with the goods.
“ Please watch out for these posers. May God Bless us.”
I still have to contact the real Mon Tulfo. I hope he will help me find this scammer masquerading as him.
It could be Mon Tulfo after all. Why is it difficult to contact him? Let’s warn our OFWs and kababayans abroad. Internet scams would be active again even victimizing foreigners who are easy to fool. No wonder Filipinos abroad and many of the foreigners now send their donations through their country’s own Red Cross and government agencies. With the recent Napoles scam that spread world wide, all the more the Philippines is distrusted. That’s why the earlier Napoles gets convicted and begins her sentence, the better for the Philippines and Filipino people.
Scammers take advantage of situations. Halang ang mga bituka ng mga yan.
How could someone can access someone phone unless he stole his phone or sim number? If phones are registered to its owner, this number could be easily taken off by Mr. Tulfo cell provider as soon as he is informed or have known that it was stolen and or lost and that it is being used for “scamming”
By the way, the rule is, if it is too good to be true..beware…
Vic, the scam artist who victimized even Madam Ellen could be someone identified with Napoles. It sounds like a joke, but Napoles still have people running scams and operating fake NGOs. Yes, unless we hear from Tulfo, he could be a suspect. The earlier he responds, the earlier his name is cleared. Tulfo has many friends but has many enemies too. Could it be Randy Santiago faking Tulfo’s voice? 🙂
Correction: I think it’s Raymart not Randy.
The scam artist picked the wrong person. Why Madam Ellen who’s a humble hard working journalist? She’s not as wealthy as other journalists like Tulfo. I personally want this culprit be traced and arrested.
Esta baja vida hijo de p*ta se debe colgar por los cojones! Políticos sucios y este tipo de barro no tiene cabida en la vida de las personas decentes!
This low life son-of-b*tch should be hung by his balls! Dirty politicians and this kind of mud has no place in decent people’s life!
Ellen, I know how it feels to be a victim of Yolanda, not directly but by criminals exploiting the circumstances.
As the Visayas were preparing for the incoming storm, around 2-3 a.m., 6 men, akyat-bahay thieves, broke-in into my house through the kitchen door and karted away 3 electric guitars, 2 guitar amplifiers, desktop pc, 2 cellphones, 2 digicams, my mom’s handbag, some golf clubs, undetermined jewelry and cash. All in all, we reported our estimate to the police at over a hundred grand. My body shook at the anger and disbelief we could be very dangerously vulnerable knowing that San Pedro is notorious for akyat-bahay cum gapos-gang criminals.
Later that day we saw the devastation on TV as reported by Ted Failon, and the misery and loss of lives and the difficult days ahead for the storm victims were the only things that brought back sanity to my being. Here I am complaining about losing my gadgets and toys while those people lost everything including their family.
I found it in my heart to even be thankful because my family weren’t hurt. A thief stepped on my Mom’s bed so he could get her handbag near her head, my mom was awake and even described the man was wearing black shirt which fit the description of witnesses. My youngest son was in the next bed in the same room. Luckily, he did did not wake up because my bolos and knifes were later found scattered in many parts of the house, the robbers seemed ready to kill if anyone woke up. I was sleeping upstairs or maybe still browsing with my laptop with my headphones on.
I also suspect we were sprayed with chloroform because I checked my computer activity and I stopped at 2 a.m. which was odd because 2 a.m. is too early for my sleep.
Ellen, Magno and tongue. Nakakaiyak naman ang nangyari sa inyo, individually.
Totoo sinabi mo, tongue, maraming ginising si Yolanda. Pasalamat at walang nasawi sa ating pamilya, mga biktima ni Yolanda walang natira kundi paghinga.
dun sa mga survivors.
Someone hit my car while parked that same day the typhoon came. $ 1000 ang damages. Hit and run. One good Samaritan got the plate # of the car which hit me. Until now, I am still thinking whether or not I will go after the driver who hit me. I just thought that the devastation in the Visayas is much more than my broken bumper. I just pieced the bumper together and put it back. Bali bali but it does not look bad. The deductible I should be paying, ibigay ko na lang na tulong sa mga nasalanta. Anyway may car is older now.
Tongue, sorry to hear that. In 2002 when I was in PI, my own tenant looted my place, stole my valuables (a gold Rolex and brand new computer included) plus my checks which they all used. The worst was, because they got all my credit cards and ID, they opened bank accounts in my name (stolen identity) and siphoned everything they could siphon from my bank accounts. I was building my mom’s house then in PI and all the checks I issued (45 checks) all bounced! They even wanted to buy an Explorer and a 3 carat diamond which I was able to abort when I got back. It took me two years to three years to clear my credit. The thief’s brother even testified that he saw the stolen stuff in his brother’s room but the police did not assist me because they said that I wasn’t hurt and so it is not their priority to assist me.
It was not their priority to assist me.
Even though typhoon Yolanda serves as a consolation that those not affected are still alive and did not lose everything especially the houses, let’s still go after these heartless thieves who took advantage of the current crisis The loss might be small and insignificant, but those were taken by thieves not calamities. It’s this failure or lack of interest to go after the criminals that make them more do it. When shall it stopped? Do we have to wait until a family member gets harmed or killed by these criminals? If there are evidences and witnesses, then let the police pursue the cases. It doesn’t matter if the cases are not solved, but it’s better than not doing anything. While I sympathize with the victims of “Yolanda”, I also feel that it’s my responsibility and obligation to stop these criminals from lording all over the places, rich or poor. They’re becoming much bolder these days because they know that victims don’t report crimes and don’t bother to pursue them. Of course that’s just my opinion. I don’t expect everyone to agree with me. Thanks.
Now, I realize that everything that is material can be lost. Making sure that everyone is safe and healthy is foremost. My father always said. even if one loses everything, if he has his health, skill and will to carry on, he will survive and will do good again.
The saying “Health is Wealth” is very true. On the spiritual side, faith and trust in the Lord is more important if not the most important. Believe in miracles.
Like the con-artists, this one is as disgusting:
http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1061710
There are reports that volunteers are being asked to remove the goods from the bags donated by foreign countries, then switch them to bags with DSWD printed.
And he will be the next president? I’ll be darn!!!!!! Sample pa lang yan. He did the same thing in Zamboanga. He got mileage for “intervening” kuno.
17: Ang he even brought his son, Mayor of Makati, who got nothing to do with the Zamboanga crisis.
# 15
Photo says not vetted by CNN. There is also an explanation by some Salgado guy that the photos are 2011 and 2012 vintage.
But if you just read the headlines, magogoyo ka.
Maybe the guy is some jerk. But this photo does not prove that.
Let’s talk about the Dinky Soliman flap. That is what seems worth investigating.
#7 and 10.
Yes, being victimized is not a fun experience. But worse things should have happened and we should be thankful we were spared of it.