House certifies Arnie Teves' seat vacant, calls for special elections

The House of Representatives on Tuesday approved a resolution calling on the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to hold special elections to fill the seat left by the expelled Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr.

Introduced by Speaker Martin Romualdez and Representatives Mannix Dalipe and Marcelino Libanan, House members adopted House Resolution No. 1212, certifying the existence of a vacancy in the lower chamber, particularly the representative for the third legislative district of the province of Negros Oriental, and urging the Comelec to fill the vacancy.

Under Republic Act 6645, the Comelec is mandated to conduct a special election if a vacancy occurs in the Senate at least 18 months or in the House of Representatives at least one year before the next regular election for members of Congress.

Republic Act 7166 provides that the poll body shall call and hold a special election to fill the vacancy not earlier than 60 days nor later than 90 days after the occurrence of the vacancy.

Teves’ seat was vacated after he was expelled last week for disorderly conduct and his continued absence despite an expired travel authority.

Citing threats to his and his family’s life, Teves has refused to return to the country since March after the Department of Justice linked him to the March 4 assassination of Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo.

Teves has denied involvement in the crime.

He, however, has been indicted for murder and other related charges over killings in Negros Oriental in 2019. —NB, GMA Integrated News