The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has dismissed a disqualification petition filed against Senator-elect Erwin Tulfo in connection with the upcoming May 2025 midterm elections.
In a 25-page decision dated Thursday, the Comelec’s Second Division ruled that the petition—filed by lawyer Ferdinand “Toto” Causing and the Graft-Free Philippines Foundation Inc. (GFPFI)—was dismissed due to procedural deficiencies.
“The Petition is DISMISSED,” the ruling stated.
The Second Division emphasized that the petitioners failed to comply with key requirements mandated by election rules, which justified its outright dismissal for being insufficient in form.
Among the cited deficiencies was the absence of an affidavit of authentication for the certificate of candidacy (COC) submitted by the petitioners. Instead, they attached an electronic copy of Tulfo’s COC downloaded from the Comelec website, without the required affidavit.
Furthermore, the commission noted the lack of a secretary’s certificate authorizing petitioner Calonge to represent the GFPFI in filing the petition. As a juridical entity, the GFPFI is required to issue such a certificate under the Rules of Court.
Causing and GFPFI had sought Tulfo’s disqualification on grounds including a prior conviction for a crime allegedly involving moral turpitude and questions over his citizenship. They also cited alleged violations of various constitutional provisions, including those related to equal access to public service, political dynasties, and nepotism. Additional allegations concerned Tulfo’s purported failure to meet the constitutional standard of public officials serving with “responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency.”
However, the Second Division concluded that given the procedural lapses, the other issues raised were no longer subject to consideration.
