Up to House ethics panel to decide on Teves' 2-month leave request
The decision on whether or not Negros Oriental 3rd district Rep. Arnolfo "Arnie" Teves would be granted his requested two-month leave of absence is out of the House leadership's hands.
Instead, it is now up to the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges to decide on this embattled solon's request.
"We received the letter request from Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo 'Arnie' A. Teves, Jr. and forwarded it to the House Committee on Ethics," Reginald Velasco, secretary-general of the House of Representatives, said in a statement Thursday, March 16.
"It’s up to the panel to decide on this and any other requests Cong. Teves may make since it has already acquired jurisdiction on the matter," Velasco added.
The ethics panel is chaired by COOP-NATCCO Party-list Rep. Felimon Espares.
The committee officially took jurisdiction of Teves' case on Wednesday, March 15 during a closed-door hearing. Espares said afterward that the panel would be sending the Visayas congressman a letter to explain his continued absence without official leave.
Teves, who is being implicated in the March 4 killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo, remains out of the country.
This, despite the expiration of the travel clearance that Velasco issued him last March 9.
He left for the United States (US) last Feb. 28 supposedly for a stem cell treatment.