Quo warranto petition vs. Erwin Tulfo pending before SET since July 2025

The Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) on Monday said that a quo warranto petition has been filed against Senator Erwin Tulfo for supposed citizenship issues, which may result in his removal from public office.

During the Senate Committee on Finance’s deliberations on the proposed 2026 budget of the tribunal, SET deputy secretary Eleanor Francisco-Anunciacion raised the information, but did not specifically name the senator involved.

“Pending right now is a petition for quo warranto. For case adjudication, we have a petition for quo warranto against one of the members of the Senate, filed on July 15, 2025 on the ground of alleged illegibility due to citizenship,” she said.

One of the slides of Francisco-Anunciacion’s presentation indicated that a petition for quo warranto was “filed by Berteni Cataluna Causing against Senator Erwin T. Tulfo, primarily on the ground of alleged ineligibility due to citizenship.”

“The petition is currently pending before the Tribunal, with the Secretariat undertaking all appropriate preliminary actions in accordance with established procedures and the Tribunal’s rules,” the text on the slide read.

On "24 Oras" and in a statement sent to GMA News Online, Tulfo said he is aware of the pending issue before the SET, and he is ready to face it.

"Matatandaang kaparehong tao rin po, na isang disbarred lawyer, ang paulit-ulit na nag-file ng disqualification case laban sa akin noong panahon ng kampanya kaya di na rin po tayo nagulat. At lahat po ng DQ cases na isinampa ng taong ito laban sa akin ay dismissed na. Sa kabila ng lahat ng ito, tuloy lang po tayo sa trabaho. Inihalal po tayo ng taumbayan para maglingkod at yun ang patuloy nating ginagawa," Tulfo said.

When Tulfo was running for senator ahead of the 2025 midterm elections, Causing also filed a disqualification case against him over multiple grounds, including disqualification due to a libel conviction in 2008.

Causing likewise accused Tulfo of violating a provision for equal access to opportunities for public service, and the prohibition of anti-political dynasty. He also questioned Tulfo’s citizenship, as well as his academic qualifications.

In March, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) junked a disqualification case against Tulfo, citing Causing’s failure to comply with all the mandatory requirements, including proof of service of the petition with complete annexes to the respondent.

The Comelec had also said that “lack of Philippine citizenship, violation of the equal access clause and the political dynasty prohibition, and failure to meet academic qualifications are not grounds for disqualification.”—LDF, GMA Integrated News