Negros Oriental 3rd district Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. 

The House of Representatives has formally asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to hold a special election in order to name a replacement for the expelled Negros Oriental 3rd district Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. 

This, after the House adopted via simple voice vote during plenary session on Tuesday night, Aug. 22 House Resolution (HR) No.1212. House Deputy Speaker and Batangas 6th district Rep. Ralph Recto presided over the session. 

Aside from seeking a special poll for the congressiinal seat in Negros Oriental's 3rd district, the resolution also certified "the existence of a vacancy" for the position. 

House Speaker and Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez, Majority Leader and Zamboanga City 2nd district Rep. Mannix Dalipe, and Minority Leader and 4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan authored HB No.1212. 

It was only last Wednesday, Aug. 16 when the plenary voted 265-0-3 (yes-no-abstain) to uphold the expulsion recommendation against the controversial Teves. Teves has been absent without official leave from the House since mid-March. 

The authors said the vacancy in Negros Oriental’s 3rd district was created due to the expulsion of Teves “for disorderly behavior and violation of Section 141 (a) and (b), Rule XX of the Code of Conduct of the House of Representatives, by the requisite vote of two-thirds of all its members as provided for in the Constitution". 

They said the vacancy has left the constituency of the province’s third legislative district “without representation in the House of Representatives of the Congress of the Philippines". 

They invoked Section 9, Article VI of the Constitution, which provides: “In case of vacancy in the Senate or in the House of Representatives, a special election may be called to fill such vacancy in the manner prescribed by law, but the senator or member of the House of Representatives thus elected shall serve only for the unexpired term.” 

The three House leaders cited the applicable law, which is Republic Act (RA) No. 6645, entitled, “An Act prescribing the manner of filling a vacancy in the Congress of the Philippines.” 

The law provides: “In case a vacancy arises 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, the Commission on Elections, upon receipt of a resolution of the Senate of the House of Representatives, as the case may be, certifying to the existence of such vacancy and calling for a special election, shall hold a special election to fill such vacancy…” 

Teves left the Philippines for the United States (US) on Feb. 28, 2023. His travel authority from the House leadership expired on March 9.  

On March 4, Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo was gunned down and killed in broad daylight outside his home. Teves, after being tagged as the alleged mastermind in the killing, has vehemently refused to come home.