Teves camp pushes for virtual participation in Congress proceedings amid criminal charges

The camp of Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves, Jr. has called on the House of Representatives to allow him to virtually participate in congressional proceedings amid the criminal complaints filed against Teves.

Teves’ lawyer, Ferdinand Topacio, made the call a few hours before the 24-hour ultimatum that the House ethics panel imposed on Teves to physically show up or risk sanctions. 

“May House Rules naman doon, 'yung hybrid system. Una, ayaw [nila ng virtual], [tapos] pumayag, and then binawi iyong pagpayag,” Topacio said in a Super Radyo DZBB interview.

Topacio was referring to Section 12 of House Rules which allows conduct of plenary sessions through electronic platforms, a policy instituted when the country was still under Alert Levels 3 to 5 due to high cases of COVID-19.

Teves, who is being linked to murder raps, illegal possession of firearms and assassination of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo, requested to deliver a privilege speech virtually during Monday’s plenary session in a letter addressed to House Majority Leader Mannix Dalipe of Zamboanga city.

The request, however, was denied just like his request to virtually participate in the House ethics panel probe on Teves’ continued absence in the House despite the expiration of his travel authority last March 9.

“Ipinagtataka namin kasi sabi nila (Lower House) sabik silang marinig 'yung panig ni Cong. Teves, pero ang kundisyon ay personal na dumalo. Inilatag naman sa kanyang request for two-month leave na may banta sa kanyang kaligtasan,” Topacio added.

(They want to hear the side of Cong. Teves but on the condition that he appears in person. We already requested for a two-month leave because of security threats.)

Grave threats

Topacio said that his client does not have confidence in assurances coming from the police, the military, and the House leadership that Teves will not be harmed once he shows up in the Philippines.

“Para po sa kanya (Teves)... sa panig ng PNP, kasama roon iyong mga elemento na sinasabi naming nagtanim ng ebidensiya at nagsagawa ng illegal na raid, kasama na sa mga tauhan ng CIDG (Criminal Investigation and Detection Group). Iyong confidence level with respect with PNP... nakakatakot naman [ang sitwasyon],” Topacio said.

(On the PNP, including the elements who planted evidence and conducted illegal raid on us are there. We are not confident about his safety and we are worried about the situation)

“And with AFP, the AFP was securing governor Degamo pero napenetrate pa rin. If protection [to Teves] will be provided, who will do that and who will provide it? And for how long? Because we really have a reason to believe that this is a grave threat,” Topacio added.

(Even the Armed Forces...they were securing governor Degamo and yet such protection was penetrated.)

But for House ethics panel chairperson Felipe Espares of COOP-NATCCO party-list, Teves has ran out of excuses not to come home.

“The House already exhausted all communications,” Espares said in a separate Super Radyo DZBB interview.

“May trabaho siya rito (He has a job here). We are bound by public trust,” Espares added. —VAL, GMA Integrated News