MANILA — Congressman Erwin Tulfo took a jab Wednesday at the petitioner of a second disqualification case filed against him before the Commission on Elections last Tuesday.

Tulfo said the petitioner, who was previously a lawyer, lacked additional reviews regarding the law as his basis of disqualification were regarding Tulfo's libel conviction and his citizenship.

"Nasagot na 'yang question ng libel cases kasi ang libel tumatagal lang ng four years ang conviction. Sobra-sobra na 'yun 2015 pa ['yung conviction], 2025 na tayo ngayon. Bale 10 years na 'yan. Medyo kulang sa review si Mr. [Berteni] Causing," Tulfo said in an interview with TeleRadyo Serbisyo's Johnson Ikwento Mo.

"Sa citizenship naman, nasagot na rin 'yan diba? Nai-post pa dati 'yan sa social media at nag-trending pa nga. Medyo huli siya sa balita. Hindi ko na sasagutin 'yan kasi nasa abogado ko na 'yan sa Comelec," he added.

This was the second disqualification petition filed against Tulfo as the first one was filed against him and his siblings for supposedly being a part of a political dynasty.

Petition filed in Comelec to disqualify Tulfos

When asked if the petitions filed against him were affecting his campaign for the upcoming elections, Tulfo said "hindi naman."

"Bottom line lang naman dyan, hindi ako mauupong congressman kung may mga kaso tayo. Hindi makakalusot sa Comelec 'yan," he said.

Tulfo said that he remains unfazed and that he expects more disqualification petitions against him until the 2025 elections.

"Actually, kulang pa 'yan. Ine-expect namin madami-dami 'yan hanggang sa eleksyon. Siguro dahil nangunguna ako sa survey," he said.

When asked on why another Tulfo is needed in the Senate, he said that it's just the system right now.

"Habang wala pa tayong batas, patuloy 'yung ganyang sistema. Saka kung titingnan natin, hindi lang ang Tulfo ang marami sa pulitika ngayon. Halos lahat naman andyan at 'di lang nababanggit," he said.

Erwin Tulfo on DQ case, dynasty tag: 'Unfortunately there's no law against it'

The second complaint was filed on Tuesday, February 25 by petitioners Berteni Causing or Toto Causing and Graft-Free Philippines Foundation Inc.

In a 28-page petition, the petitioners asked the Comelec to disqualify Tulfo from the senatorial race by citing his conviction on four counts of libel, the issue on his citizenship, and allegedly being a member of a political dynasty. 

"It is established that Erwin Tulfo is the same person, who used the US passport in the name of Erich Sylvester Tulfo, and the fact that he has not renounced his American citizenship, he is not a Filipino, at least constructively," said the petitioners.

"The four counts of libel involved moral turpitude, which is a disqualification under Section 12 of the Omnibus Election Code," they added.

In an ambush interview, Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia said the 2nd disqualification is scheduled to be raffle-off on Thursday, February 27.

Meanwhile, Garcia said the disposition of the commission on the 1st disqualification petition against the Tulfos is expected to be out on Monday, March 3.

“Ayaw ko po munang i-preempt 'yung mismong order ng division, so more or less 'yan po 'yung aasahan natin sa darating na Lunes na disposition ng division dun sa unang kaso,” Garcia explained.

Garcia said the commission will decide either to issue summons to the Tulfos or it will dismiss outright the case.