The camp of Negros Oriental 3rd district Rep. Arnolfo "Arnie" Teves Jr. is appealing the imposition of a 60-day suspension order against the embattled solon before the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges. "We write once again to plead the cause of our client, [Teves], particularly on matters which we feel may have been overlooked by his honorable office in its proceedings against him," read the letter of lawyers Ferdinand Topacio and Joselito Lomangaya. The letter was addressed to ethics panel chairman, COOP-NATCCO Party-list Rep. Felimon Espares. It was marked received by the Office of House Speaker Martin Romualdez on Monday, March 27. Teves, who is being implicated in the March 4 assassination of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo, is currently out of the country and refuses to come home due to security reasons. It is for his refusal and continued absence without official leave that he was ultimately slapped with a suspension of 60 calendar days. The Espares panel called it "disorderly behavior affecting the dignity, integrity and reputation of the House of Representatives" on the part of Teves. The lawyers noted in their letter that the Committee on Ethics handled the case on Teves' disciplinary action in a "sensitive" and "urgent" manner, so much that the panel even admitted to "[suspending] at least two of its own rules pertinent to proceedings as this". "We observe, however...there is nothing therein that gives a hint as to how such acts [of Teves] affected the dignity, integrity and reputation of the House of Representatives, and why the matter is sensitive and urgent," they said. As for the repeated calls from the House leadership for Teves to return home, the lawyers said, "Rep. Teves did not disregard the authority of Congress but, in fact, continued to submit thereto by insisting to participate in its session virtually. Such, was however, likewise denied." They further said that the ethics committee's report implies that Teves, "for his inability to appear, has to provide the committee with evidence of the serious and imminent threats to his life that the perceives". "However, a belief that one's life is threatened does not always come with demonstrable proofs. It could be by inference from circumstances that are not susceptible to tangible proof, as his in this case. Yet, everyone has a right to be cautious about the threats he perceives against his very life," the lawyers' letter read. "With these, and the expressed intention and standing commitment of Rep. Teves participate in the sessions, there is [neither] refusal to discharge his duties nor disrespect the authority and dignity of the Honorable Congress," it read. "It is, thus, most respectfully prayed that the said suspension be lifted and Rep. Teves be allowed to participate in the sessions and discharge his duties as member of Congress, virtually in the meantime," it further read.