Ousted Negros governor steps down but vows to pursue legal fight

Pryde Henry Teves (Photo from his Facebook account)

DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental, Philippines — Pryde Henry Teves may have relinquished the governor’s seat of Negros Oriental but don’t count him out yet.

Teves vowed to continue fighting for his right to occupy the province’s top post as the leadership battle reached the Supreme Court.

“It will be long and hard. It will be bloody and painful but we will never surrender,” said his lawyer, Ferdinand Topacio, quoting the late British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

‘No action’

Teves stepped down past 4 p.m. on Tuesday after the Supreme Court “took no action” on his petition for the issuance of a temporary restraining order that would have prevented his rival, Roel Degamo, from assuming as Negros Oriental governor.

“He opted to step down from his post because he doesn’t want to hamper government services because of a power dispute between him and Degamo,” Topacio told reporters here on Tuesday afternoon.

As of 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Degamo had yet to report in his office at the capitol.

The Inquirer learned that he was in Pamplona town where his wife, Janice, is mayor, to join in the fiesta celebration.

In a statement he posted on his Facebook account on Tuesday, Degamo thanked his supporters for putting up a good fight in his bid to serve Negros Oriental for another three years.

Gratitude

“After the long electoral battle to regain my rightful seat, it is with great joy that I announce that we have won the battle today. I express my gratitude to all of you who believed and fought with me,” he said.

On Oct. 3, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) proclaimed Degamo as the new governor of Negros Oriental after the votes of nuisance candidate Grego Gaudia, who used the name “Ruel Degamo” during the campaign, was nullified in favor of Degamo, then running for reelection.

After the final recount, Degamo received 331,726 votes, including those transferred from Gaudia, while Teves had 301,319.

For nine days, Teves continued to function as the governor of the province despite an order from the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Comelec to give up his seat and give way to Degamo.

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