House Majority Floor Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe (Second District of Zamboanga City). (INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO)
MANILA, Philippines — Barangay election cases in some areas of Negros Oriental must first be resolved before it could hold a special election for its Third District House representative, which was left vacant with the expulsion of Arnolfo Teves Jr.
That would prevent conflicts between two electoral processes, House Majority House Majority Floor Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe (Second District of Zamboanga City) said on Wednesday in an ambush interview.
“We received reports from the ground that there are still areas in Negros Oriental, particularly in that congressional district, the results of the barangay and SK [Sangguniang Kabataan] elections are not yet done with,” Dalipe said.
“We should finish these first so we can move on to the next electoral process,” he added.
Earlier, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced that it had canceled the special election after receiving a House resolution that Chairman George Garcia said effectively recalled a previous resolution calling for a special election.
Prime suspect
The House expelled Teves last Aug.16 for disorderly conduct — that is, his continued absence — on the recommendation of the Committee on Ethics and Privileges.
READ: Teves’ House expulsion a dark day for rule of law, says lawyer
Teves went to the US for stem cell treatment on Feb. 28, four days before the killing of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo on March 4. Teves, the prime suspect in the case, has remained abroad since then, refusing House calls for him to return.
Teves maintained his innocence, saying that he and his brother, former Gov. Pryde Henry Teves, would not gain anything from the incident. However, due to concerns over his and his family’s safety, Teves refrained from flying back to the Philippines.
Meanwhile, Dalipe said Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez would remain the caretaker of Negros Oriental’s Third District.
“Yes, the House elected Speaker Romualdez to be the caretaker of Negros Oriental, yes. And I will just even tell you in advance, upon consultation with the political leaders of Palawan, Speaker Romualdez will also be the caretaker for the congressional district of the late Edward Hagedorn,” Dalipe added.