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Under fire, Ben Tulfo says not close with siblings

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/08/14/20180814-senate-dot-tulfo-md2_2385-md.jpg?ext=.jpg"/><figcaption>Broadcaster Ben Tulfo appears at a Senate hearing on the Department of Tourism&#x27;s controversial P60-million ad placement on his show &quot;Kilos Pronto&quot;. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA - Like oil and water. </p><p>This was how broadcaster Ben Tulfo described his relationship with his siblings as their family faced public scrutiny over allegations of corruption.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><div id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1_Container"> <ivs-player id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-vid="1427392" data-ivs-floating="1"></ivs-player> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/iframe-parent.js"></script> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script> </div></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="~//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="~//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>Ben made the remark Tuesday as he, along with his brother Erwin and sister, former tourism secretary Wanda Teo, faced a legislative inquiry over the placement of P60 million in tourism advertisements on his show &quot;Kilos Pronto.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Kami hong magkakapatid, mawalang galang lang, maliban kay Erwin, may kani-kaniya ho kaming buhay,&quot; Ben told lawmakers.</p><p>(We siblings, pardon me but besides Erwin, we have our own lives.)</p><p>&quot;Ang relasyon ho namin hindi ho close, FYI. Kalat naman ho sa media &#x27;yan. I mean kami ho ng isa kong kapatid para kaming langis at tubig, hindi kami puwede ihalo,&quot; he added.</p><p>(We are not close, FYI. That is all over the media. I mean I and one of my siblings, we&#x27;re like oil and water, we cannot be mixed together.)</p><p>Ben explained that he and brother Erwin have a huge age gap with their sister Teo.</p><p>&quot;Do we listen to one another? We have our own decisions,&quot; he said.</p><p>Earlier in the hearing, Teo denied knowledge of Ben&#x27;s involvement in &quot;Kilos Pronto,&quot; saying she is only aware of her brother&#x27;s ties with the firm Bitag Media.</p><p>Erwin, meanwhile, clarified that he is a talent, not an employee, of Bitag Media.</p><p>It can be recalled that when the controversy on the tourism ad placement broke out, Ramon Tulfo, the eldest in the brood of 10, chastised his siblings Ben and Teo.</p><p>Ramon faulted Teo for allegedly failing &quot;to get intelligent people as her staff&quot; and dubbed Ben as the family&#x27;s &quot;black sheep,&quot; saying he has &quot;middle child syndrome.&quot; </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/10/18/tulfo-vs-tulfo-mon-reprimands-siblings-wanda-ben-over-p60-m-ad-deal">Tulfo vs Tulfo: Mon reprimands siblings Wanda, Ben over P60-M ad deal</a></li></ul><p>Teo had resigned in May over the controversy.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/08/18/wanda-teo-resigns-as-tourism-chief">Wanda Teo resigns as Tourism chief</a></li></ul><p>Ben also insisted anew that he would not return the money from the advertising deal since doing so &quot;is tantamount to saying we did something illegal.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Wala ho sa isip ko magsasauli [ng pera] kasi wala akong ginawang ilegal,&quot; he said.</p><p>(It has not crossed my mind to return the money since I did not do anything illegal.)</p>

<p>Ben explained that he and Erwin has a huge age gap with their sister Teo.</p>