The Commission on Election (Comelec) on March 1 said it has suspended the proclamation of former Social Welfare Secretary Erwin Tulfo, as a nominee of the Anti-Crime and Terrorism Community Involvement and Support (ACT-CIS) party-list.
In a press statement, Comelec said the suspension is due to the pending petition for disqualification filed by lawyer Moises Tolentino against Tulfo last February 28.
In the said petition, Tolentino cited that Tulfo should be disqualified as an ACT-CIS nominee over the question of his citizenship and his libel conviction.
"Accordingly, under Section 8 of said Rule 5 of Resolution No. 9366, the proclamation of a nominee may be suspended notwithstanding the fact that the group or organization received the winning number of votes in such elections, if the evidence in the Petition for Disqualification is strong and such remains unresolved," the poll body said.
Comelec scheduled the raffle of the case to a Division for a hearing on Monday, March 6.
It can be recalled that in December last year, the Commission on Appointments bypassed the ad interim appointment of Erwin Tulfo as Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development due to the question also on his citizenship and his four counts of libel conviction.
