Senator Erwin Tulfo retains seat after Tribunal dismisses ouster bid

Senator Erwin Tulfo has retained his seat after the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) voted 6-3 to dismiss a motion for reconsideration seeking his removal over alleged citizenship issues. The tribunal, which includes three Supreme Court associate justices, ruled that the motion filed by lawyer Berteni Causing contained procedural defects. The dismissal was issued without prejudice, allowing for the possibility of a new petition.

The vote revealed a split within the tribunal. While the majority bloc—comprising three Supreme Court justices and Senators Bam Aquino, Kiko Pangilinan, and Lito Lapid—voted to deny the appeal, three minority senators, Pia Cayetano, Camille Villar, and Robin Padilla, reportedly voted in favor of the ouster attempt.

Tulfo expressed personal disappointment regarding the vote, noting that he felt betrayed by colleagues he considered friends. He shared a political cartoon on social media depicting colleagues wielding knives behind him, remarking on the unexpected opposition from peers with whom he maintained friendly relationships.