There is "no indication" so far that Negros Oriental 3rd district Rep. Arnolfo "Arnie" Teves Jr. is coming back to the Philippines.
Thus, said House Secretary General Reginald Velasco on Thursday, March 9, even as he acknowledged the murder case that has been filed against Teves in connection with assassination of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo last March 4.
Velasco was the House of Representatives official who issued Teves' travel clearance for the latter's "personal foreign trip” to the United States (US).
The travel clearance, referred to in the House internally as a "travel authority", covered the dates Feb. 28 to March 9. This means that Teves, who availed of stem cell treatment in the US, was supposed to be back in the Philippines Thursday.
"We're waiting for his return. Wala pang indication na babalik siya or anything (There are still no inductions that he's coming back or anything)," Velasco said of the controversial solon.
"Kasi yung ibang mga congressman naman pag bumalik, sinasabing nandito na, by the plenary, sasabihin nila present na sila. Pero siya, wala pa kaming indicator (As for other congressmen, when they come back, they just say that they're here, like in the plenary, they'll say they're present. But as for him, there are no indicators)," added the House official.
At any rate, Velasco said that a travel authority can be extended, if the solon requests for it.
He also said that the House is very lenient when it comes to granting requests from its members for travels of personal nature, as opposed to official travels.
Regarding the Negros Oriental lawmaker's murder charges, Velasco said that the latter would have to answer it.
"Dapat bigyan namin siya ng extension kung gusto niya mag stay pa outside , assuming na wala na siyang responsibilities dito pero we heard na nag-file ng murder cases against him (We could give him an extension if he still wants to stay outside the country, assuming that he has no responsibilities here but we heard that murder cases have been filed against him). So he has to answer that," the House official said.
But as of now, Velasco said the Department of Justice (DOJ) has not made any communication with the House regarding the raps against Teves.