A second disqualification case has been filed at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) against ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo, who is the leading contender in the senatorial race in the May 2025 polls.
In a 28-page petition, petitioners Graft-Free Philippines Foundation and Berteni Causing said Tulfo should be disqualified as he is part of a looming political dynasty in the Senate with the presence of his brother, Sen. Raffy Tulfo, and another brother, Ben Tulfo, who is also seeking a Senate seat.
“Wherefore, it is prayed of the Honorable Commission to declare senatorial candidate Erwin Teshiba Tulfo disqualified from running for senator in the May 12, 2025 national elections,” said the petition filed February 25.
“ln the ordinary meaning of the word ‘political dynasty,’ there is no dispute that the act of Erwin Teshiba Tulfo of running for the Senate along with his brother Ben Teshiba Tulfo violates the political dynasty prohibition of the Constitution, even made worse with one brother already an incumbent Senator,” the petition also said.
The petitioners said Erwin Tulfo should also be disqualified as he is an American citizen and is not a Filipino as required by the Constitution.
“It is established that Erwin Tulfo is the same person who used the US passport in the name of Erich Sylvester Tulfo, and the fact that he has not renounced his American citizenship, he is not a Filipino, at least constructively,” they said.
They also said Erwin Tulfo should be disqualified because he has been convicted of four counts of libel, which have been deemed final by the Supreme Court.
“The four counts of libel involved moral turpitude, which is a disqualification under Section 12 of the Omnibus Election Code,” said the petitioners.
Erwin Tulfo has been the constant topnotcher in several voter preference surveys conducted prior to the May 2025 polls.
He is running under the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas slate of the Marcos administration.
Earlier, a petition for disqualification was also filed by lawyer Virgilio Garcia against Erwin and Ben Tulfo, party-list nominees Jocelyn Pua-Tulfo (ACT-CIS) and Wanda Tulfo-Teo (Turismo), and re-electionist Rep. Ralph Tulfo of Quezon City for being a political dynasty.
Erwin Tulfo shrugged off the disqualification complaint, noting that petitioner
Causing is a known nuisance senatorial candidate and a “lawyer who was disbarred by the Supreme Court.”
He, however, said he respects Causing’s right to file a disqualification petition case and will just leave the issue to the Comelec.
“Iginagalang ko po ang kanyang karapatang magsampa ng reklamo at ipinauubaya ko sa Comelec ang paghusga (I respect his right to file a complaint and I’m leaving the judgment to the Comelec),” he said.
Tulfo said that while he has yet to receive a copy of the petition, “I’m ready to answer Causing’s case as part of the country’s judicial process.” – With Wendell Vigilia
