Comelec en banc dismisses appeal to disqualify Tulfos
Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia (INQUIRER.net file photo / NOY MORCOSO)
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) en banc has dismissed the motion for reconsideration seeking to disqualify senator-elect Erwin Tulfo, his brother Ben, and three other members of the Tulfo clan from the 2025 elections.
According to Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia on Wednesday, this is due to the lack of evidence.
“This was denied by the Commission en banc and again, whatever their recourse is, they can bring that to the Supreme Court but it was denied due to lack of proof on the issue of citizenship and at the same time, issue of procedural technicality,” Garcia said in Filipino.
This case pertains to the petition for disqualification filed by a certain Virgilio Garcia last February where the petitioner cited that the respondents being members of what he deemed as political dynasty can be grounds for disqualification from the elections.
This was dismissed by the Comelec First Division due to failure to attach certificates of candidacy of the respondents and to verify if the petition was served to the respondents.
READ: Comelec dismisses disqualification case vs Tulfo brothers, kin
The other respondents in the case are ACT-CIS Rep. Jocelyn Pua-Tulfo, Quezon City 2nd District Rep. Ralph Wendel Tulfo, and Turismo Party-list nominee Wanda Tulfo-Teo.
The petitioner also pointed out the citizenship issue of Erwin.
The senator-elect previously admitted that he became an American citizen in 1988, but he explained that he regained his Filipino citizenship in 2022 as part of the requirement of his appointment as a public official.
Garcia said that the petitioner failed to attach evidence proving the issue of citizenship.
“But the respondent must be the one producing the evidence to strengthen the case but the Commission en banc could not grant the [motion for reconsideration] because allegations must not remain as allegations only,” Garcia pointed out.
Garcia noted that the Comelec en banc’s decision will be final and executory five days after the respondents and petitioner receive the decision.
Meanwhile, he said that the petitioner can still appeal the case before the Supreme Court.
READ: Comelec junks refiled DQ case vs Erwin Tulfo
The Comelec Second Division previously junked a separate disqualification case refiled against Erwin due to failure of providing proof of service of the petition with complete annexes to the respondent.
With this, Garcia said that there are no more pending cases against Erwin and other members of the Tulfo clan before the Comelec.
