Negros Oriental 3rd District Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr.
MANILA, Philippines — Negros Oriental 3rd District Rep. Arnolfo Jr. Teves has asked members of the House of Representatives’ Committee on ethics and privileges as to why they are singling him out, when there are other lawmakers who have been absent from their duties.
Teves in a video uploaded on Facebook on Tuesday night also dared to release attendance records for the past and current Congress — from 17th to 19th — to show that he is not a habitual absentee.
“Alam niyo mga kasamahan ko sa Congress, kilala niyo ako, alam niyo kung gaano ako katotoong tao. Alam niyo kung paano ako magtrabaho. Alam niyo rin kung sino ang pumapasok d’yan, sino ang uma-absent. Itatanong ko sa committee on ethics, bakit si Congressman Arnie Teves lang ang inyong kine-kwestyon ang attendance,” he said.
(My colleagues in Congress, you know me, you know how genuine of a person I am. You know how I work. You also know who really comes to work and who are frequently absent. Which is why I ask the ethics committee: why only question Congressman Arnie Teves in terms of attendance.)
“Ayaw ko sana ‘tong sabihin eh, miyembro ako ng House of Representatives. Ilang araw lang ba ako nag-absent, bigla akong ike-kwestyon sa ethics committee. Ganito na lang para patas ang lahat, bakit hindi natin ilabas ang record ng attendance ng buong 17th, 18th, at 19th Congress?” he dared.
(I don’t want to bring this up, I am a member of the House. But it’s just a few days that I have been absent, and now the ethics committee questions me. This is my suggestion for fairness: why don’t we release the record of attendance for the whole 17th, 18th, and 19th Congresses?)
Teves said that during the 18th Congress when he was the deputy speaker, he even attended sessions even if it was not his turn to preside over the proceedings.
“Why did I include the other Congresses? Because during the 18th Congress I was a deputy speaker. You know, even during the height of the pandemic, I was going to work physically even if it was not my turn to preside over the session, because I live nearby, and I’m eager to help,” Teves said in Filipino.
Teves said these after the said panel on Tuesday announced that it has reached a decision on the lawmaker’s absence. The decision was withheld by the panel, as committee chair and COOP-NATCCO party-list Rep. Felimon Espares said this needs to be deliberated at the plenary first.
Due to failing to attend the hearings, Teves’ explanation on his refusal to return to work despite his expired travel authority was not heard. Teves asked if he can attend through videoconferencing, but the panel insisted that the lawmaker should appear physically.
The lawmaker’s camp however insisted several times that there is a threat to his and his family’s safety, after he was accused of masterminding the killing of Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo. Teves has denied having a hand in the incident.
READ: House ethics reaches decision on Teves’ absence, to divulge it in plenary
READ: Ethics panel to make Teves explain absence from House despite expired travel authority
Teves claimed that he was being ‘operated’ from the very beginning, and that this ‘operation’ has made its way into the House ethics panel.
“I even asked for a leave but they did not approve my extension even in the face of a serious security threat to my life. But in spite of my request, they are forcing me to come home. They even said that the Speaker has a direct order for me to come home, you (committee) know there’s none, but why do you insist? It seems obvious that you have an operation against me,” he added.
After the committee arrived at a decision, Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez in a statement on Tuesday reiterated that he has asked the lawmaker several times to come home.
The Speaker also noted that he has assured Teves several times that the House will exert “all possible means” to secure his safety.
Reporters have asked Romualdez’s side after Teves’ recent claims and dare, but he has not yet responded as of posting time.