MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Panfilo Lacson described as unfair the move of three minority senators who opposed the Senate Electoral Tribunal’s ruling that dismissed the quo warranto petition against Lacson’s fellow majority member Sen. Erwin Tulfo.
Lacson was reacting to news that the SET on Friday met and dismissed the quo warranto petition seeking the removal of Tulfo as senator over citizenship issues, with six members voting in favor and three against.
Sens. Robin Padilla, Camille Villar and Pia Cayetano reportedly voted against the majority decision.
“Senate Electoral Tribunal: Justice and fairness went out of the window when three minority senator-members voted in favor of an out-of-time motion for reconsideration filed by a petitioner without legal standing,” Lacson posted on X.
“Their motive may be deeper than personal issues against Sen. Tulfo,” he added.
Members of the SET composed of senators and Supreme Court justices met at the Senate on Friday to deny the motion for reconsideration filed by the petitioner Berteni Causing for being filed beyond the prescribed period and for failing to comply with filing and service requirements of the SET rules.
Causing’s appeal had sought to reverse the SET resolution dated March 2 summarily dismissing his quo warranto petition for being insufficient in form in his allegations that Tulfo was ineligible to be senator for not being a Filipino citizen and belonging to a political dynasty.
According to a press release signed by SET secretary Luis Jose Geronimo, six members of the SET voted in favor of denying the appeal while three voted against.
Lacson lauded the three Supreme Court justices and three other senators who based their decision on the procedural flaws of the petition.
“More on the Senate Electoral Tribunal: Let’s give credit to the three SC justice-members and the other three senator-members who undoubtedly knew the obvious procedural flaw which resulted in a 6-3 vote, thus dismissing the motion for reconsideration,” Lacson said.
Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen chairs the SET, with fellow SC Justices Henri Jean Paul Inting and Ramon Paul Hernando as members.
Cayetano, Padilla and Villar sit in the SET for the minority bloc, while Sens. Kiko Pangilinan, Bam Aquino and Lito Lapid sit for the majority.
Reporters sought the minority senators’ side for their reaction yesterday but they have yet to issue a statement.