Ni NOEL ABUEL
Pinatawan ng 60-araw na suspensyon si Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. ng House Committee on Ethics and Privileges na duminig sa kaso ng huli dahil sa patuloy na pagtanggi nitong bumalik ng bansa at iwanan ang trabaho nito sa Mababang Kapulungan ng Kongreso.
“Afer a thorough deliberation and observance of due process, the Committee on Ethics and Privileges hereby recommends to the House of Representatives the imposition of the penalty of sixty (60) days suspension from the service upon Rep. Arnolfo “Arnie” A. Teves Jr. for disorderly behavior,” sa Committee Report no. 472 na inilabas ngayong araw.
Sinabi ni COOP-NATCCO party list Rep. Felimon Espares, chairman ng nasabing komite, unanimous ang naging desisyon ng mga miyembro nito na irekomenda sa liderato ng Kamara na patawan ng suspensyon si Teves.
“As elected officials afforded with great powers and privileges, the members of the House of Representatives are expected to act in a manner that upholds the integrity and dignity of the House. Indeed, there could be no assured government by the people, unless their representatives had unquestioned possession of these privileges. But we have to be reminded that to whom much is given, much will be required.1 Thus, no less than our Constitution exhorts that public office is a public trust, which exacts utmost accountability from public officials,” sa desisyon ng komite.
Magugunitang Marso 9, 2023 nang magtapos ang travel clearance ni Teves sa Estados Unidos para sumailalim sa medical check-up at business trip kung saan mismong si House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez ang nagsabing dapat na itong bumalik ng bansa.
“Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez persuaded him, through various means of communications, to come back and report to work in the House of Representatives. Despite the repeated calls with assurance of his personal safety by the Speaker himself, Rep. Arnolfo “Arnie” A. Teves Jr. still failed to return to the Philippines,” ayon sa desisyon.
Marso 15 nang humingi ng 2 buwang ekstensyon ng travel authority si Teves subalit ibinasura ito ng tanggapan ng Secretary General hanggang sa magtapos ang deadline na inilabas ng komite para bumalik si Teves subalit walang nangyari.
Sinabi naman ni Romualdez na hindi kukunsintihin nito ang mga pasaway na miyembro ng Kamara.
Aniya, ang disciplinary action laban kay Teves Jr., na isinasangkot sa pagpatay kay Gov. Roel Degamo at maraming iba pa, ay dapat na agad aksyunan.
“Under my leadership, the House of Representatives will never ever countenance any conduct unbecoming of a House member,” sabi ni Romualdez, sa kanyang privilege speech bago ang Lenten break ng mga mambabatas.
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