Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 16) – Pamplona town Mayor Janice Degamo on Wednesday said her political party is open to running for the position of Negros Oriental representative should there be a special election following the expulsion of Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. from the House of Representatives.
“If ever there will be a special election, and our team will be asked to consider it, why not?” Mayor Degamo told CNN Philippines News Night.
“If it will bring political justice for [Governor Roel Degamo], why not?” she added.
On Wednesday, 265 lawmakers voted to adopt the Committee on Ethics’ unanimous recommendation to evict Teves from his position for his “disorderly behavior and for violation of the Code of Conduct of the House of Representatives.”
READ: Rep. Teves expelled from House
The widow of Governor Degamo said she and their camp were elated with the news.
“After several months of wait, na akala din namin it is a paghihintay na walang mararating,” Mayor Degamo said. “But lo and behold, God is good and we have people from congress who are competent, credible, reliable.”
[Translation: After several months of waiting for something we thought would yield nothing, lo and behold, God is good and we have people from congress who are competent, credible, reliable.]
“Natutuwa kami at masaya kami na may nakikita ang Kongreso na very irregular or very unethical for this man to continue to serve his district,” she added.
[Translation: We are happy that the Congress saw that it is very irregular or very unethical for this man to continue to serve his district.]
Mayor Degamo also said she has yet to talk to her lawyer with regard to the cases filed against Teves.
“I talked to the prosecutor and he told me na kaya nating ipanalo ito [we can win this] by the evidence we have, and with that, I am very hopeful,” she said.
Should the court fail to get justice, Mayor Degamo said they may “look for it on other place.”
Lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, counsel of Rep. Teves, said Mayor Degamo’s answer is “expected from someone like her” who is a political rival of the Teves Family.
“It only goes to prove that the Degamos are not out for justice but out for blood because they’re the direct poitical beneficiaries of Congressman Teves and the Teves family being eliminated from the political landscape of Negros Oriental,” Topacio told CNN Philippines Politics As Usual.
The Anti-Terrorism Council earlier designated Teves and 11 others as terrorist for the assasination of Governor Degamo.
READ: Gov’t designates Teves, 12 others as terrorists
He was tagged as the alleged mastermind in the assassination of Governor Degamo in March this year.
Teves was also charged with murder in connection with three killings in 2019.
READ: Murder charges filed vs. Teves over 2019 killings
