Claiming “the situation in Negros Oriental is very fragile,” the camp of Governor Henry Pryde Teves on Monday asserted they are in control of the province despite the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) nullification of his proclamation.
At a media briefing in Quezon City, Sara Manalo, Teves’ legal counsel, said she believed her client was still in office.
“The people are in disbelief and worried with what is happening in the province,” Manalo told reporters.
Ferdinand Topacio, another legal counsel, urged Teves to continue serving the Negrenses and not to step down since he already has taken his oath of office as governor.
He took a swipe at the Comelec for its supposed illegal move to unseat Teves, saying the poll body failed to have a quorum when it issued an order declaring a certain Grego Ruel Degamo a nuisance gubernatorial candidate.
There should be at least four Comelec commissioners present to have a quorum, Topacio said.
He questioned Degamo’s pending case for running four times, instead of three times as provided by law.
Only the proper court could decide Teves’ fate as the lawful governor of Negros Oriental, he said.
Manalo, however, assured the public that there will be no impediment of day-to-day transactions at the provincial hall.
“The governor is in active coordination with the Department of the Interior and Local Government regional office,” she said, reacting to reports that Secretary Benhur Abalos requested Teves to vacate his post.
She stressed that Teves “will respect whatever the decision of the High Court is.”
Teves filed a petition for a temporary restraining order with the Supreme Court, contesting the nullification of his May 9 victory.
On Oct. 13, 2021, Teves’ closest rival, Roel Degamo, petitioned the Comelec to declare his namesake Grego Ruel Degamo as a nuisance candidate, saying Grego’s real surname was Gaudia.
Last Sept. 27, 2022, the Comelec en banc declared Grego, who garnered 49,953 votes on May 9, a nuisance candidate; transferred Grego’s votes to Degamo who got 281,773 votes, and proclaimed Degamo the provincial governor with 331,726 votes against Teves’ 301,319 votes.