FIile Photo of Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. INQUIRER file photo / Grig C. Montegrande
MANILA, Philippines — Embattled Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. on Monday pleaded with lawmakers to decide his fate following the law and their hearts.
Teves made the plea shortly before the House committee on ethics and privileges is scheduled to tackle appropriate actions concerning Teves’ continued absence from the Lower Chamber.
“Ang paki-usap ko sa aking mga kasamahan sa Kongreso, bumoto tayo sa naaayon sa batas at naaayon sa ating puso. It should be a real collegial decision, hindi decision na galing lang sa mando ng iisa. Ibig ko sabihin, baka bumuto lang dahil siyempre, baka mawalan ka ng budget, baka mawalan ka ng ganto pag sumuway ka,” said Teves in an online news hearing.
(What I am asking for from my colleagues in Congress is to let us vote accordingly to the law and in our hearts. It should be an actual collegial decision, not just a decision based on the command of one. What I mean is they might vote because, of course, they might lose their budget or get nothing if they dissent.)
According to Teves, a few had already disagreed with the decision to suspend him.
“Pinilit silang bumoto against me. Siyempre kawawa naman yung tao, kawawa yung distrito kung sumuway sila,” Teves said.
(They were forced to vote against me. Of course, they are pitiful; it is pitiful for their districts.)
Teves, however, did not specify who these lawmakers were.
Instead, he said that he hoped the House was not exaggerating his case to distract from other issues.
“Natabunan nanaman yung isyu ng ABS, natabunan yung isyu ng asukal, natabon nanaman yung isyu ng mahal na bilihin, matabunan nanaman yung isyu ng gasolina, diba? At malamang di makakasalita si Arnie sa isyu ng Maharlika fund, di ba? Kaya klarong klaro na ang script,” he said.
(The issue of ABS [CBN] was overshadowed, as well as sugar, expensive goods, and gasoline, and of course, Arnie cannot speak about the issue of the Maharlika fund, right? The script is crystal clear.)
Teves refers to the joint venture between the media outlet ABS-CBN and Prime Media Holdings Inc., which House Speaker Romualdez owns.
The Negros Oriental representative has been tagged as the mastermind behind the killing of Gov. Roel Degamo and nine others. Saying that he fears for his life, Teves has refused to go home, despite pressure from the House of Representatives, the Department of Justice, and President Marcos Jr. himself.
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