Comelec junks DQ complaint vs Tulfos

On a technicality, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) dismissed yesterday the disqualification case against senatorial candidate Erwin Tulfo and four other members of his family who are running in the May midterm elections.

- MAYEN JAYMALIN

In a six-page decision, the Comelec First Division ruled that petitioner Virgilio Garcia failed to submit copies of the respondents' certificates of candidacy (COCs), which are essential for verifying his allegations.

"After a judicious review of the petition, the Commission finds the petitioner failed to comply with the requirement imposed by Comelec," the decision read.

The ruling emphasized that non-compliance with these mandatory requirements warrants the dismissal of the petition.

Comelec Chairman George Garcia said the case was dismissed on a technicality rather than on its merits, as the submission of COCs is a fundamental evidence in disqualification cases.

However, he noted that several legal remedies remain available to the petitioner.