Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo Teves Jr. said he is “powerless” over officials who may push for his expulsion from the House of Representatives.
“It’s not that I am ready or I am considering. It’s that I am powerless over these people, right?
Who am I to fight back against the Speaker and the Chairman,” Teves said, in an interview with CNN Philippines.
Teves was apparently referring to House Speaker Martin Romualdez and House ethics panel chairperson Felimon Espares, GMA News reported.
“If it’s another kind of fight, I will fight back. But if the fight only involves rules that they made up, how can I fight back?” Teves, in the said interview, also said.
On Monday, the House ethics panel unanimously recommended stiffer disciplinary action against Teves due to his continued absence amid expired travel authority in violation of House rules.
Reports also said House ethics panel vice chairperson Raul Bongalon said stiffer sanctions would include expulsion and any other penalty that the committee may determine.
In the same interview, Teves’ lawyer Atty. Ferdinand Topacio said some lawmakers were being pressured to vote according to the will of the House leadership.
The lawyer also expressed alarm over the presence of Commission on Elections chairperson George Garcia during a House hearing.
The lawyer said it seems that there are already plans for a special election amid the possible expulsion of Teves.
He also said “it would appear that they were getting, they were planning for the long term and asking him how special elections would be conducted so that in itself is quite alarming.”
Teves was tagged as the alleged mastermind in the March 4 assassination of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo. He said the threat to his life is getting worse.
“Of course, I just validated that the threat to my life is getting worse),” Teves, quoted by GMA News, said.
According to Teves, he saw an internal affairs order directing for his businessman friend to be “eliminated.”
