THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) 2nd Division today dismissed the petition asking the poll body to disqualify or cancel the Certificate of Candidacy for senator of broadcaster Rafael “Raffy” Tulfo.
In a nine-page decision penned by Comelec Acting Chairperson and 2nd Division Chair Commissioner Socorro Inting, which was also signed by retired Comelec Commissioner Antonio Kho Jr., it said that the petition has no legal basis and lacks merit.
In a petition filed by Julieta Licup Pearson, it said that the candidacy of Tulfo is against the law because he is a dual citizen, that the duration of his residency in the country is false, and that his declaration about his legal spouse was also false.
The 2nd Division explained that the petition should have been dismissed earlier since it violated the Comelec’s rules of procedure that the petition for disqualification and the cancellation of COC should be separate.
Aside from this, petitioner also failed to include the copy of the COC of Tulfo that will be the basis of inquiry into the allegations.
As for Tulfo’s alleged dual citizenship, the 2nd Division commented that the law applies only to candidates running for local elective positions.
Petitioner Licup Pearson earlier claimed that she is the legal spouse of Tulfo whom she said is a dual citizen, and that Tulfo resided in the US for a long period of time and misdeclared his period of residence in the country.