Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 18) — House ethics committee vice chairperson Ria Vergara defended the decision of the lower chamber to expel former Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. from his post, noting that his indecent behavior online and his designation as terrorist were not the main reasons for his removal.
Speaking to CNN Philippines’ The Source on Friday, Vergara explained that Teves’ expulsion was “hinged on basically two grounds: continuous absence and his abandonment of his duty.”
A total of 265 members of the House of Representatives on Aug. 16 voted to adopt the ethics committee’s recommendation to evict Teves. The panel cited as basis of Teves’ expulsion his continued absence without leave and his pursuit of political asylum in Timor-Leste, which are as good as abandonment of public office.
The report also mentioned Teves’ indecent behavior in his social media posts and his designation as terrorist, which the committee said both negatively affect the image of the House.
Vergara said that Teves’ social media posts were only a secondary factor that led to the decision.
“I think what the Committee on Ethics did was to look at all the actions that have been done and that is what you call a mitigating factor but on its own it is not grounds for expulsion,” she explained.
“We have to protect the institutional integrity of the House of Representative,” she said. “If it was just Congressman Arnie Teves’ social media post, that’ s not grounds for expulsion. That would have been maybe a reprimand.”
Vergara said the matter of Teves being tagged as a terrorist was also discussed by the panel. However, during an executive session, the members agreed that this was not enough ground to expel him.
According to Vergara, this was because there were other congressmen who were previously tagged as such, specifically those from the Makabayan bloc, but remained in their post.
The Commission on Elections said Thursday it is waiting for orders from the House on possibly holding special polls to elect a replacement for Teves.
