Petition to disqualify Sen. Erwin Tulfo now pending at SET
At A Glance
- The issue was disclosed during the Senate Finance Committee's hearing of SET's proposed budget for 2026.
A petition seeking to disqualify Senator Erwin Tulfo is now pending before the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET).
The issue was disclosed by the SET during the Senate Finance Committee’s hearing of SET’s proposed budget for 2026.
SET Deputy Secretary Eleanor Francisco -Anunciacion did not mention the name of the senator during the hearing when she presented and defended the proposed budget of the Tribunal, but confirmed that a petition for quo warranto was filed against a member of the Senate.
But during the budget presentation of the SET, the Powerpoint slide showed that the Tribunal received and docketed last July 15, 2025 a petition for quo warranto by a certain Berteni Cataluna Causing against the senator.
Causing contested Tulfo’s eligibility to be a member of the Senate due to questions on his citizenship.
According to the SET, 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.”
And on Aug. 5, 2025, the Tribunal appointed a new secretary of the SET.
Just recently, the SET conducted the oathtaking of the Tribunal’s new set of officers and members.
The SET is now chaired by Justice Marvic Leonen and members of the Tribunal include Justice Ramon Paul Hernando, Justice Henri Jean Inting, Senators Pia Cayetano, Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, Camille Villar, Paolo “Bam” Aquino IV, Alan Peter Cayetano and Robinhood “Robin” Padilla.