Arnie Teves given 24 hours to appear before House ethics panel

The House Committee on Ethics on Monday gave Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves 24 hours to show up in the House of Representatives or face sanctions due to his continued absence despite the lack of travel authority.

House ethics panel chairperson COOP-NATCCO party-list Rep. Felimon Espares said Teves had yet to return to the Philippines from an overseas trip since he was linked to killings in 2019 and the assassination on March 4 of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo.

“We gave him 24 hours to appear in our committee. Otherwise, sanctions will be based on his non-appearance,” Espares told reporters.

“But once he appears before our meeting tomorrow, our decision has nothing to do with disciplinary action given that he appeared before us,” he added.

Espares said that Teves, who has denied involvement in the said crimes, would have until 4 p.m. tomorrow to show up in person before the ethics committee.

He said the committee did not allow their colleague to attend the committee proceedings via video conference as earlier said by Teves’ counsel, Ferdinand Topacio. 

“We do not know [where he is] and we cannot speculate,” Espares said. —NB, GMA Integrated News