Petition Filed to Bar Tulfo Family from Running in the 2025 Elections
TULFO FAMILY – ACT-CIS Representative Erwin Tulfo, his brother Ben Tulfo, and three other relatives are facing disqualification cases before the Commission on Elections (COMELEC).
On February 17, COMELEC Chairman George Erwin Garcia revealed that a petitioner named Virgilio Garcia had filed a complaint seeking to bar the Tulfo family members from running for public office.
The complaint specifically named ACT-CIS Rep. Jocelyn Pua-Tulfo, Quezon City 2nd District Rep. Ralph Wendel Tulfo, and Turismo party-list nominee Wanda Tulfo-Teo. The petition argued that they belong to a political dynasty, which is prohibited under the Constitution.
The complaint requested that COMELEC officially declare the respondents as part of a political dynasty and disqualify them from running in the May 2025 national and local elections. The complainant cited Article II, Section 26 of the Constitution, which opposes political dynasties, and also raised concerns about Erwin Tulfo’s citizenship.
Both Erwin and Ben Tulfo have been performing well in senatorial election surveys. However, Erwin’s citizenship remains a controversial issue. Reports have previously surfaced claiming that a letter from the US Embassy in Manila suggested he had concealed his real identity to retain his American citizenship. As of now, the Tulfo family members involved have yet to release a statement regarding the complaint.
Meanwhile, the latest OCTA Research survey for the first quarter of 2025 indicated that Erwin and Ben Tulfo remained the leading candidates in the senatorial race. Erwin topped the survey with 70% of respondents expressing support for his candidacy, while Ben closely followed, securing a position between 2nd and 3rd place with 60%.
Senator Bong Go also showed strong performance, ranking between 2nd and 4th place with 58%. Former Senate President Tito Sotto placed between 3rd and 8th with 52%. The remaining candidates in the top 12 were Bong Revilla Jr. (49%), Willie Revillame (48%), Ping Lacson (48%), Pia Cayetano (46%), Manny Pacquiao (45%), Imee Marcos (44%), Lito Lapid (43%), and Benhur Abalos (39%). On the other hand, Francis Tolentino, Abby Binay, Camille Villar, and Bato dela Rosa ranked between 12th and 16th, narrowly missing the top 12. The survey was conducted from January 25 to 31, 2025, among 1,200 respondents nationwide. It has a margin of error of ±3% at a 95% confidence level.