Procedural Lapses: Comelec Drops DQ vs Tulfo, BH

Citing serious procedural lapses, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has dismissed separate disqualification cases filed against senator-elect Erwin Tulfo and the Bagong Henerasyon (BH) party-list.

- By Rhodina Villanueva

In separate rulings, the poll body ruled that both petitions failed to comply with fundamental legal and documentary requirements, prompting outright dismissal without addressing the substantive allegations.

For Tulfo, the Comelec Second Division resolved to dismiss the petition filed by Toto Causing and the Graft-Free Philippines Foundation Inc. (GFPFI), represented by Diosdado Calonge, due to insufficiency in form.

"The petition is dismissed. It is imperative to settle procedural issues raised by the respondent alleging petitioners' failure to observe certain requirements under the rules, and such failure warrants the outright| dismissal of the petition for insufficiency in form," the ruling stated.

The Comelec noted that the petitioners submitted only a downloaded copy of Tulfo's certificate of candidacy (COC) without the required Affidavit of Authentication, as mandated under Comelec Resolution 11046.

Additionally, they failed to present a Secretary's Certificate proving Calonge's authority to represent GFPFI in signing the petition's Verification and Certification of Non-Forum Shopping.