Tulfo says ‘hurt’ by minority senators who voted for his quo warranto case
Sens. Erwin Tulfo and Sherwin Gatchalian lead the third public hearing of the Senate Committee on Energy, attended by officials from the Department of Energy (DOE) and its attached agencies, at the Senate of the Philippines in Pasay City on Thursday, October 15, 2026. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News
MANILA — Sen. Erwin Tulfo on Monday said he was “hurt” that the three minority senators in the Senate Electoral Tribunal voted against dismissing a motion for reconsideration of the dismissal of the quo warranto petition against him.
The Senate Electoral Tribunal junked the case against Tulfo in a 6-3 vote, with the three majority senators — Lito Lapid, Kiko Pangilinan and Bam Aquino — joining the three Supreme Court Justice in the body.
Sens. Robin Padilla, Pia Cayetano and Camille Villar voted against dismissing the motion.
“Masama lang ho ang loob natin,” Tulfo said, citing what he said were good relations with fellow senators.
(I have hard feelings about that.)
He acknowledged members of the SET are free to vote how they like and that if the three believed the motion had merit, “then so be it.”
Without mentioning names, he said does not usually interact with one of the women senators who voted in favor of the motion for reconsideration.
“Pero yung dalawa po, nag-uusap po kami sa, lalo pa’t kasama ko po sa Congress,” he said.
(But I have been on speaking terms with two of them. Especially the one who I worked at the House with.)
He added he treated one of the senators “like family”.
Tulfo noted that six members of the SET “believed” the case against him was inappropriate.
The tribunal in March dismissed the original quo warranto petition for being insufficient in form.
Tulfo, citing the six who voted in favor of junking the motion, said there was no basis for reviving the case, which was filed past the deadline to do so.
He also said the alleged issue of his citizenship and being part of a political dynasty has been addressed by the Commission on Elections, adding the allegation against him has been revived repeatedly.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson last week slammed their minority colleagues in a social media post, saying “[t]heir motive may be deeper than personal issues against Sen Tulfo.”