‘Tsk, tsk, tsk’: Erwin Tulfo Fires Back at Three ‘Backstabbing’ Colleagues Amid Senate Minority Shakeup
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Erwin Tulfo has responded to an alleged plot by three fellow senators to unseat him from his post, dismissing the move with a terse “Tsk, tsk, tsk” — a reaction that captures the deepening rift within the Senate’s minority bloc.
The controversy erupted after reports surfaced that three minority senators were reportedly working to oust Tulfo from a key Senate position. The development, first reported by Inquirer.net on Saturday, October 17, 2026, has quickly escalated into a public war of words among legislators.
The Dispute
At the center of the storm is Tulfo, who has served as chair of the Senate Committee on Games and Amusement — a post he has used aggressively to investigate the illegal e-sabong (online cockfighting) industry. According to reports, three of his minority colleagues allegedly attempted to remove him from his position, prompting his sharp rebuke.
Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, a veteran lawmaker known for his no-nonsense approach to governance, did not mince words either. Lacson publicly criticized the three minority senators behind the ouster bid, framing the move as an act of political betrayal rather than a legitimate parliamentary maneuver.
The identities of the three senators have not been officially confirmed, but the fallout has exposed simmering tensions within the chamber’s minority bloc — a group that is supposed to present a united front against the administration’s legislative agenda.
A Pattern of Conflict
This is not the first time Tulfo has found himself at the center of Senate drama. Since assuming office, he has built a reputation as a combative and media-savvy legislator, frequently clashing with fellow senators over committee jurisdiction and investigative priorities.
His aggressive stance on the e-sabong issue — where he publicly blasted the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) for allowing outlawed online cockfighting operations to “slip through the cracks” — has earned him both praise and enemies. The committee he chairs has become a high-profile platform, and his visibility has only grown.
The timing of the ouster attempt is particularly telling. With midterm dynamics already shaping Senate alliances, the move against Tulfo may be less about his performance and more about positioning ahead of the 2028 political landscape.
Analysis: A Minority in Disarray
The public airing of this internal conflict raises several important questions about the state of the Senate minority:
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Fragile coalitions: The minority bloc’s apparent inability to maintain internal discipline suggests that personal ambitions are outweighing collective strategy. If three senators are willing to publicly move against one of their own, the bloc’s legislative effectiveness is severely compromised.
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Committee control as leverage: Chairmanships are the lifeblood of Senate influence. Controlling a committee like Games and Amusement — which oversees lucrative industries and generates significant media attention — is a powerful platform. The attempt to remove Tulfo is likely driven less by policy disagreements and more by a desire to control that platform.
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Public perception matters: Tulfo’s “Tsk, tsk, tsk” response, while brief, was calculated. It frames him as the victim of betrayal rather than the aggressor, a narrative that plays well with his populist base.
What’s Next
The Senate leadership has yet to issue a formal statement on the matter, and it remains unclear whether the ouster bid will proceed to a formal vote. Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri’s office has not commented on the dispute.
For now, Tulfo appears to be holding his ground — and his social media-savvy supporters have already begun rallying behind him. But the episode serves as a stark reminder that in Philippine politics, alliances are fluid, loyalty is conditional, and the battle for committee control is often far more consequential than the public realizes.
Whether this is a momentary flare-up or the beginning of a larger realignment within the Senate minority remains to be seen. What is certain is that Erwin Tulfo — never one to shy away from a fight — is unlikely to back down quietly.
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