The Commission on Election (Comelec) Second Division has dismissed the disqualification case filed against former Social Welfare Secretary Erwin Tulfo as nominee of the Anti-Crime and Terrorism Community Involvement and Support (ACT-CIS) party-list.
In a press statement on Thursday, Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said the petition for disqualification case already lapsed the required period which is not later than the date of the party-list’s proclamation.
“[T]he Petition for Disqualification against Erwin Tulfo was filed nine (9) months after the proclamation of ACT-CIS, or on 1 March 2023. Thus the COMELEC no longer has jurisdiction over the petition for being filed out of the time," he said.
In the 2022 National and Local polls, the ACT-CIS gained three seats in the House of Representatives after acquiring 2,111,091 votes — the highest among party-list candidates.
The first three nominees of ACT-CIS assumed office on June 30, 2023. But the third nominee, Jeffrey Soriano tendered resignation last February 22 this year.
Tulfo, who was the fourth nominee of the party-list, automatically assumed the vacant post.
Six days later, lawyer Moises Tolentino then filed a disqualification case against Tulfo over the question of his citizenship and his libel conviction.
In March, the poll body suspended the former Social Welfare Secretary’s proclamation as ACT-CIS nominee amidst a pending disqualification case.
