ACT-CIS Partylist Rep. Erwin Tulfo arrives to file his Certificate of Candidacy for senator on the 6th day of filing for the 2025 midterm elections in Manila on October 6, 2024. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — Senate frontrunner Erwin Tulfo on Tuesday said he has not yet received any notice from the Commission on Elections regarding the disqualification case filed against him and other members of his family running in the May polls.

Petition filed in Comelec to disqualify Tulfos

"Wala pa po akong natatanggap na notice or subpoena galing sa Commission on Elections. Kaya mahirap po sagutin. Nalaman ko lamang po yun sa aking barbero, kahapon. Siya po yung nakabasa sa social media," Tulfo said.

He said he will let their lawyer Karen Jimeno respond to the case before the Comelec.

"Hayaan ko na po yung aming abogado si Atty. Karen Jimeno ang sumagot po niyan sa Comelec," Tulfo added.

Tulfo brothers, Go, Sotto top Senatorial bets in January: Pulse

Lawyer Virgilio Garcia on Monday filed a petition before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) seeking to disqualify Rep. Erwin Tulfo, Rep. Jocelyn Tulfo, Rep. Ralph Wendel Tulfo, Wanda Teo, and Ben Tulfo from running in the 2025 midterm polls. 

Garcia alleged that the Tulfos are part of a political dynasty and they do not possess "the essential requirement of being a natural-born Filipino citizen under the Constitution."

But Tulfo argued that until an enabling law banning political dynasty is enacted, nothing else can be done. 

"Ang opinion po ng Korte Suprema doon ay yung sinasabi po na wala pang enabling law... Unfortunately, hindi pa po kumikilos ang Kongreso at saka Senado. Yun po yung sinasabi doon. Kaya nga po, hanggang wala pa pong batas tayo, meron ho talagang ganito, may mangyayari hong ganito," Tulfo said.

"Unfortunately, wala pa po tayong law," he also said.

Comelec to decide on plea to disqualify Tulfos in midterm polls

But Tulfo expressed readiness to support the passage of an anti-political dynasty.

"Definitely [I support an anti-dynasty law]. Bakit po hindi susuportahan? That's for sure," Tulfo said.

Comelec chairman George Garcia said the poll will decide on the petition against the Tulfos "soon."

For more news and features on Philippine elections, visit the ABS-CBN News' Halalan 2025 page.