Sen. Erwin Tulfo expressed sadness on Monday after three minority senators reportedly voted in favor of reconsidering a petition to oust him in the upper chamber.
This came a few days after the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) dismissed the motion for reconsideration filed by disbarred lawyer Berteni Causing to unseat Tulfo due to allegedly retaining his American citizenship, his membership in a political dynasty, and lack of academic qualifications.
The SET is composed of three Supreme Court associate justices, Sens. Bam Aquino, Kiko Pangilinan and Lito Lapid from the majority bloc; and Sens. Pia Cayetano, Camille Villar, and Robin Padilla.
Causing’s motion was denied, 6-3, as it was filed beyond the deadline, and the amended version of his petition was found insufficient in form once again.
‘May nagsabi lang na bumoto yung tatlo [from the minority] na ‘hindi, guilty itong tao na ito,’ Tulfo said in an interview at the Senate, citing social media reports.
(Someone just said that the three [from the minority] voted no, this person is guilty.)
‘Masama lang ho ang loob natin kasi nakikita niyo naman siguro na nagyayakapan ho, kausap pa, nagkakamayan, then suddenly- Medyo malungkot lang naman, pero karapatan naman nila eh. What can we do? Hindi naman natin pwedeng pwersahin,’ he added.
(We’re just hurt because, as you’ve probably seen, we were hugging, talking, and shaking hands with each other, and then suddenly… It’s just a little sad, but it’s their right. What can we do? We can’t force them.)
Asked whether he anticipated such an outcome, Tulfo admitted he expected it from one of the two lady senators, but he was surprised the other two voted the same.
‘Yung isa po talagang normal na, talagang hindi naman kami nagbabatian nung isang senadora. Pero yung dalawa po naguusap ho kami… Lalo pa’t yung isa kasama ko sa Congress, tapos yung isa ho halos magkamaganak na ho kami. ‘insan’ ang tawagan namin. I didn’t expect,’ Tulfo shared.
(One of them is someone I don’t normally exchange greetings with; we really don’t greet each other. But I talkto the other two. One ofthem was my colleague in Congress, while the other and I are practically relatives-we call each other ‘insan’ [cousin]. I didn’t expect.)
Tulfo and Villar were both members of the House of Representatives during the 19th Congress prior to their election as senators in 2025.
But the senator reiterated that it is within his colleagues’ right to vote for his disqualification in office.
‘Karapatan naman po nila yun eh. So hindi naman natin pwedeng pigilin. That’s their right. Kung tingin ho nila at ayaw nila sa atin dito sa Senado, bumoto po sila. Pero yung six naniniwala na mali po in the very first place yung reklamo, medyo may problema na agad,’ Tulfo further stated.