Comelec upholds dismissal of motion to disqualify Tulfo family candidates

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has affirmed the dismissal of a motion for reconsideration filed by lawyer Virgilio Garcia seeking to disqualify members of the Tulfo family from running in the May 12 elections.

Garcia's petition, which was initially dismissed by the Comelec First Division due to procedural deficiencies on March 4, was upheld by the en banc in a six-page resolution.

The Comelec en banc noted that Garcia failed to attach the respondents' Certificates of Candidacy (COCs) to his petition, a serious procedural defect that justifies dismissal.

Erwin Tulfo and other members of his clan were cleared from disqualification as the Comelec en banc found no palpable errors in its earlier decision denying Garcia's petition.

The respondents include Erwin Tulfo, Ben Tulfo, ACT-CIS Rep. Jocelyn Pua-Tulfo, Quezon City 2nd District Rep. Ralph Wendel Tulfo, and Turismo party-list nominee Wanda Tulfo-Teo.

In its decision, the Comelec en banc also stated that without an enabling law from Congress defining what constitutes a political dynasty, the prohibition on political dynasties cannot be enforced.