ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo (left), former president Rodrigo Duterte (PPAB)

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte--Administration Senate bet ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo has slammed the toxic commenters on social media regarding the recent arrest and turnover of former president Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

In a press conference of the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial slate here on Friday, March 14, Tulfo was asked to react on what befell Duterte. 

"Former president Rodrigo Duterte remains innocent until proven guilty," answered the consistent survey topnotcher.

"Unfortunately may mga nababasa po ako sa social media na 'Tama lang yan,' etc. Doon ho nag-aaway yung dalawang grrupo (Unfortunately I read people on social media saying, 'That’s the right thing to do,' etc. Tha triggers the arguments between the two groups)," he said, referring to the pro and anti-duterte groups.

"Pero kung ako ho ang tatanungin mo (But if you ask me), let justice take its due course," Tulfo said. He added that the discourse on Duterte is "just part of Philippine politics".

However, the former broadcaster-turned-lawmaker went on to castigate the netizens who talk like experts on social media, but in the end have nothing positive to contribute to the discussions.

"Noong panahon ho ng covid lahat naging doctor. Noong bumagsak po yung tulay sa Cabagan (Isabela), lahat naging engineer. Ngayon naman po lahat attorney. Kahit hindi pa nga nakapagtapos, nakapag-aral, lahat ay attorney na, may opinyon," he said, his disdain evident in his voice.

(During covid, everybody became a doctor. When the bridge in Cabagan, Isabela collapsed, everybody became an engineer. And now, everybody is an attorney. Even those who didn't graduate or study, everybody is now an attorney, they all have opinions.)

He advised Filipinos: "Hayaan ho matin at mag-observe na lang ho tayo dahil lahat naman po tayo ay mga miron (Just let it be an observe because he are all curious watchers here)."

"Wag ho natin na yung opinyon natin ilagay ho natin sa social media, this and that. Kasi ang problema ho, kaging nagugulo. Wag na ho natin dagdagan yung problema ng bayan," he continued.

(Let's refrain from putting out our opinions, this and that on social media. Because the problem is, it creates chaos. Let's not add to the country’s problems.)

"We have other problems. We have economic problems, we have healthcare problems, we have corruption problems that we have to deal [with] now," Tulfo further said.