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Failure of the complainant to provide necessary documents to hear the case, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) dismissed the petition seeking to disqualify five members of the Tulfo family from running in various positions in the 2025 national and local elections.

In a six-page decision, Comelec First Division dismissed the disqualification case filed by Atty. Virgilio Garcia, citing his alleged failure to submit all the required documents, including the respondents’ certificates of candidacy (COC).

Comelec Resolution No. 11046 mandates full compliance with the documentary requirements and allows the summary dismissal of petitions on several grounds, including insufficient in form.

“Thus, compliance thereto is strictly enjoined. Settled is the rule that failure to comply with a mandatory requirement warrants the dismissal of the petition,” the decision reads.

“Upon scrutiny of the submitted petition and its attachments, it appears that the petitioner failed to provide the copies of respondents’ COCs, which would have been vital in order to properly verify the necessary information alleged in the Petition,” the decision said.

“Consequently, it cannot also be verified whether the petition was properly served to the respondents,” it added.

Members of the First Division, including Presiding Commissioner Aimee Ferolino, and Commissioners Ernesto Ferdinand Maceda Jr., and Maria Norina Tangaro-Casingal.

Last month, Garcia asked the Comelec to disqualify ACT-CIS Rep. Erwin Tulfo and broadcast journalist Ben Tulfo, who are both running for the Senate; ACT-CIS Rep. Jocelyn Pua-Tulfo and Quezon City Rep. Ralph Tulfo, who are eyeing a return to the House of Representatives; and former Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo Teo, the nominee of the Turismo party-list from running in the upcoming May polls, saying they constituted a political dynasty which is prohibited under the 1987 Constitution.

Likewise, the petitioner questioned their nationality.

Erwin, Ben and Wanda are siblings, while Jocelyn and Ralph are the wife and son, respectively, of another Tulfo sibling, Raffy, who is an incumbent senator.