Drama erupted at the Senate Electoral Tribunal as it junked, by a 6-3 vote, the bid to revive the ouster case against Senator Erwin Tulfo.
The tribunal ruled the motion was dead on arrival: late, defective, and already dismissed back in March for being “insufficient in form.”
The original petition had accused Tulfo of divided loyalty, U.S. ties, dynasty links, and lack of academic chops.
But the real fireworks came after Sen. Ping Lacson blasted the minority bloc online. “Justice and fairness went out of the window when three minority senator-members voted in favor of an out-of-time motion… Their motive may be deeper than personal issues against Sen Tulfo,” he posted on X.
Lawyer Jesus Falcis quickly named names: Robin Padilla, Pia Cayetano, and Camille Villar—all voting to boot Tulfo despite the petition’s flaws.
The tribunal’s press release stressed the dismissal was “without prejudice” to future petitions, but for now Tulfo stays put, while intrigue swirls over what Lacson calls “deeper motives.” # (ZIA LUNA)
