Decision on Erwin Tulfo 2nd DQ case possibly out next week – Comelec
Comelec Chair George Garcia FILE
MANILA, Philippines — The disposition on the second disqualification case filed against senatorial candidate and ACT-CIS Rep. Erwin Tulfo may be out next week, according to Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Erwin Garcia on Tuesday.
The disqualification case, which was received by the poll body last February 25, was raffled off to the Comelec First Division.
“Isa na lang po ang pending petition laban doon sa iisang magkakapatid na iisa yung family name and asahan niyo rin po, hopefully next week baka magkaroon ng disposisyon ang Comelec division,” Garcia said in an ambush interview.
(There is one remaining pending case against one of the brothers with the same family name, and expect that hopefully, there will disposition by the Comelec division next week.)
READ: Erwin Tulfo faces another disqualification case, says Comelec
In a separate interview, Garcia said that the First Division is looking into the petition’s defects.
“May mga nakita rin pong defects doon sa mismong petisyon, itong pangalawang petisyon. Madaming mga defect na tinitignan nila kung paano pa maililigtas yung petisyon,” Garcia added.
(Defects were seen in the actual petition, this second petition. They [First Division] are looking into how else they can save the petition from the defects.)
The petition was filed by disbarred lawyer Berteni Cataluña Causing and Graft-free Philippine Education, Inc. represented by Diosdado Villar Calonge.
The petitioners said Tulfo shall be disqualified from the 2025 Senate race on the grounds of moral turpitude due to his conviction of four counts of libel; citizenship; being member of a political dynasty; and failure to prove academic qualifications.
READ: Comelec dismisses disqualification case vs Tulfo brothers, kin
The first disqualification case lodged against Erwin, his brother Ben, and three other members of the Tulfo clan was dismissed by the Comelec First Division in a three-page order released on Tuesday.
Garcia said that technicality became grounds for the dismissal of the petition. He said that the petitioner failed to attach necessary documents to the disqualification petition.
