Erwin Tulfo admits to being an undocumented worker in the US for 10 years
House Deputy Majority Leader Rep. Erwin Tulfo admitted that he was once an undocumented worker, or TNT (tago nang tago), in the United States for 10 years.
On the Punto Asintado Reload Jan. 6 episode, Tulfo addressed allegations surrounding his American passport.
Tulfo shared that he went to the US on a tourist visa in 1986 to find better opportunities, as he said his salary as a reporter for a newspaper wasn't enough to feed his family.
“Ginawa ko lang naman ho ‘yun para mapakain ‘yung mga anak ko, para maitawid ‘yung mga anak ko sa paghihirap. Kung kasalanan ho ‘yun sa tingin ho ninyo, then guilty po ako," he said.
While in the US, he worked illegally between jobs for 10 years. He also admitted to resorting to buying fake documents like driver's licenses, social security numbers, and birth certificates to find work.
"Pero ito lang ho ang masasabi ko, wala po akong nilabag na batas dito sa ating bayan. Wala po akong nilokong tao, ni isang Pilipino. Maging sa Amerika noong nandoon ako, wala po akong in-estafa, wala po akong ini-scam na mga Pilipino, maging mga Amerikano,” he added, slamming certain “bloggers” who criticized his eligibility as a candidate for senator.
He further justified that he only became an undocumented alien in the US to make a living.
“Wala ho akong ginawang masama. Nagtungo ako sa Amerika para pakainin ang anak ko, pag-aralin. That’s what I did. That’s the only mistake that I did, nag-TNT po ako,” he said.
Tulfo added that the attacks on his credibility were because he's "number one" in the surveys. He's currently eyeing a Senate seat in the coming 2025 midterm polls.
In 2022, Tulfo got in hot water during his time as secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development when the Commission on Appointments deferred his designation due to issues of his citizenship and his 2008 libel conviction.
A disqualification petition against him was filed in March 2023 to prevent him from being proclaimed a nominee for ACT-CIS Partylist. It was later dismissed by the Commission on Elections for being filed after the deadline.
