Davao City 1st district Rep. Paolo Duterte, Negros Oriental 3rd district Rep. Arnolfo "Arnie" Teves Jr. (Facebook)

House Secretary General Reginald Velasco doesn't see Davao City 1st district Rep. Paolo Duterte's travel situation deteriorating into the level of expelled Negros Oriental 3rd district Rep. Arnolfo "Arnie" Teves Jr.

This, as reporters sought updates from Velasco regarding Rep. Duterte, who remained out of the country as of Thursday, March 20.

"Hindi naman po [matutulad kay former Rep. Arnie Teves] kasi depende po sa representation sa amin (He won't end up like former Rep. Arnie Teves because it would depend on his representation with us)," Velasco said.

For one thing, Rep. Duterte's travel clearance, which the House of Representatives had approved, won't be expiring anytime soon.

Officially, the former presidential son is cleared to be out of the country from March 12 to April 15, 2025. He cited a "personal trip"  to the Netherlands and Japan as reason.

Netherlands is the site of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which is detaining and holding trials on the congressman's father, ex-president Rodrigo Duterte.

The elder Duterte, who is facing a charge of crimes against humanity, will next appear in court in September 2025, or six months from now.

"Kung magpapa extend po siya, pwede naman namin ibigay ang extension. Kasi po wala namang session, sa June 2 pa ho babalik (If he will request for an extension then we will give hin an extension. Anyway there won't be sessions until June 2)," Velasco said.

The House official said they have no say as to what congressmen want to do during their recess. 

"So talaga po binibigyan namin ng pagkakataon yung mga congressman na gawin yung kanilang mga bakasyon o campaign para sa reelection po o election sa May 12 po (So we really give congressmen the opportunity to carry out their vacation or campaign for reelection or election on May 12)," he said.

The infamous Teves was expelled from the 19th Congress on Aug. 16, 2023, in part for his sheer refusal to come back home from abroad despite an expired travel authority. Teves was tagged in the broad-daylight assassination of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo earlier that year.

Asked if Rep. Duterte should be back in time for the resumption of sessions in June, Velasco said yes, although the House can always extend his clearance.

"Opo [required siya bumalik), unless po, mayroong siyang excuse to be somewhere else. Marami naman pong sumusulat sa amin kung bakit sila hindi makaka-attend ng session (Yes he is required to come back, unless he has an excuse to be somewhere else. A lot of solons write to us why they cannot attend the session)," he explained. 

"Yung pung mga walang sulat sa amin (Those who don't write to us), we consider them absent," added Velasco.

At any rate, Velasco said the ongoing trial at the ICC is a valid reason for Rep. Duterte to stay in the Netherlands.

"Opo karapatan niya po yung bilang congressman at bilang anak po ng former president...So nasa sa kanya po yung kung gusto niyang gawin yun, pwede ho siyang humingi sa amin ng extension ng travel abroad," he said.

(Yes that's his right as a congressman and as the son of the former president...so it's up to him if he wants to do that, he can ask us for an extension of his travel abroad.)

The Netherlands is located in northwestern Europe.