Comelec Dismisses Disqualification Case Against Erwin Tulfo
ERWIN TULFO – The broadcast journalist will continue serving as a senator following the dismissal of a disqualification case filed against him after the May 2025 elections. In a decision issued by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) Second Division, the petition was dismissed due to procedural lapses committed by the complainants, led by Toto Causing and the Graft-Free Philippines Foundation Inc. (GFPFI).
The 25-page ruling emphasized that the complaint failed to meet the formal requirements set by the Comelec. One of the key issues was the absence of an affidavit authenticating Tulfo’s certificate of candidacy, which the petitioners had downloaded from the Comelec website. Additionally, the complaint did not include a secretary’s certificate authorizing one of the petitioners to represent GFPFI in the filing.
Due to these lapses, the Comelec ruled that the petition was “insufficient in form” and could not proceed. “The petition is dismissed,” the decision stated, adding that other issues raised by the petitioners were no longer relevant in light of these procedural shortcomings.
The group behind the complaint argued that Tulfo should be disqualified based on a previous conviction involving moral turpitude and alleged questions about his citizenship. They also cited constitutional provisions related to equal access to public service, political dynasties, and nepotism, claiming Tulfo failed to prove he met the standards of integrity, efficiency, and responsibility expected of a public servant.
However, the Comelec did not address the substance of these allegations due to the technical deficiencies of the petition. With the case officially dismissed, Tulfo retains his position as a duly elected senator.
Meanwhile, Erwin Tulfo is a politician and former broadcaster known for his direct, no-nonsense style. He rose to fame as a journalist and TV anchor, hosting programs like TV Patrol and Tutok Tulfo. He is part of the prominent Tulfo family, which includes fellow media figures and politicians Raffy, Ben, and Ramon Tulfo.
He briefly served as Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in 2022 under President Bongbong Marcos but was not confirmed due to citizenship and legal issues. He later became a congressman representing the ACT-CIS Partylist and eventually won a Senate seat in the 2025 elections.
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