Village chief eyes brother’s House seat for Negros Oriental

Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves files his certificate of candidacy for congressman of the third district of Negros Oriental in the House of Representatives, on Oct. 14, 2015. Photo by Maya Angelique Jajalla, Inquirer Visayas

DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental, Philippines — The older brother of Rep. Henry Teves of Negros Oriental’s 3rd district has filed his candidacy to take over his post at the House of Representatives.

Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr., the province’s Association of Barangay Captain president, filed his certificate of candidacy at 11:35 a.m.on Wednesday at the Commission on Elections provincial office.

Arnolfo is the incumbent barangay captain of Malabugas, Bayawan City, and is running under the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC).

Arnolfo said that should he win, the job would not be new to him.

“I have been a congressman when my brother is not around,” he said.

After filing his CoC, Arnolfo discussed the bills he would file in the House of Representatives.

One will be the lifting of the gun ban during elections.  He argued armed criminals would not follow the ban anyway, leaving those with licensed firearms powerless to defend themselves during the campaign season.

Arnolfo also wants to revise the penalties for civil wrongs.

“When a student comes late in class, the student is penalized. But when a teacher comes late, the teacher is not penalized. In the same way, when a plane passenger comes late for a flight, the passenger gets left behind. So when an airline’s flight is delayed, they should be legally penalized for inconvenience and the passenger’s opportunity losses.”  SFM