House asks Comelec to do special polls to fill Teves’ seat in Negros Oriental

FILE PHOTO: The plenary hall of the Batasang Pambansa. Screenshot from RTVM Youtube Live

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives is calling for a special election to fill the seat formerly held by expelled Negros Oriental 3rd District Rep. Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves.

House Resolution (HR) No. 1212 introduced by Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez as well as Zamboanga Rep. Manuel Jose “Mannix” Dalipe and 4Ps Rep. Marcelino Libanan was adopted Tuesday.

HR No. 1212 is asking the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to hold a special election for Teves’ former post as the measure certifies “to the existence of a vacancy” in the province’s third congressional district.

“Resolved by the House of Representatives, to certify to the existence of a vacancy in the House of Representatives, particularly the Representative for the Third Legislative District of the Province of Negros Oriental and call on the [Comelec] to fill the vacancy through a special election,” the resolution read.

The resolution cited Section 9, Article VI of the Constitution provides that: “In case of vacancy in the Senate or in the House of Representatives, a special election may be called to fill such vacancy in the manner prescribed by law, but the Senator or Member of the House of Representatives thus elected shall serve only for the unexpired term.”

Also, the Section 1 of Republic Act No. 6645 states that “In case a vacancy arises in the Senate at least eighteen (18) months or in the House of Representatives at least one (1) year before the next regular election for Members of Congress, the Commission on Elections, upon receipt of a resolution of the Senate or the House Of Representatives, as the case may be, certifying to the existence of such vacancy and calling for a special election, shall hold a special election to fill such vacancy.”

The Section 4 of Republic Act No. 7166 was also cited by the resolution as it states that in case a permanent vacancy shall occur in the Senate or House of Representatives at least one year before the expiration of the term, the Comelec should call and hold a special election to fill the vacancy not earlier than 60 days nor longer than ninety 90 days after the occurrence of the vacancy.

Teves was expelled due to seeking political asylum in East Timor, which lawmakers said is tantamount to abandoning his post; his long absence; and his post in social media dancing while wearing undergarments, which was deemed “indecent” by the representatives.

The Anti-Terrorism Council’s designation of Teves as a terrorist was also discussed, but it was not considered as a factor in his expulsion.

JPV