Nanindigan ang iba’t ibang political party sa Kamara sa desisyon ng Kapulungan na patalsikin si dating Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo Teves Jr.
Ayon sa National Unity Party, sa pagkuha ni Teves ng political asylum ay tila iniwan nito ang kaniyang mandato bilang kinatawan ng Negros Oriental 3rd District.
Maliban pa ito sa pagdungis sa reputasyon ng institusyon dahil sa ‘terrorist’ tag sa dating kasamahan.
“Seeking political asylum in another nation without concrete reason and abandoning his law-making duties, have put in jeopardy the trust that the people of the 3rd District of Negros Oriental have placed in him. Moreover, the tarnish on our institution’s reputation wrought by the designation of its member as a ‘terrorist’ demands immediate and decisive action. For the benefit of our nation, its institutions, and the democratic principles we uphold, we assert our full support for the expulsion of Representative Teves,” pahayag ni NUP President Lray Villafuerte.
Sa panig naman ng PDP-Laban, ang patuloy na pagliban ni Teves ay pagtalikod sa kaniyang sinumpaang tungkulin para paglingkuran ang mga taga-Negros Oriental.
Ang kanila umanong suporta sa desisyong patalsikin si Teves ay para mapreserba ang integridad ng Kamara.
“A representative’s primary duty is to ardently advocate for their constituents, a commitment from which Representative Teves has egregiously deviated, evident from his sustained absences and efforts to seek asylum elsewhere. The PDP-Laban stands unwaveringly with the collective judgment of the political party leaders on this critical issue. We vehemently advocate for preserving the integrity, trustworthiness, and respect of the House of Representatives,” tugon ni PDP-Laban Deputy Secretary-General for Mindanao Johnny Pimentel.
Ang Partylist Coalition Foundation Inc. (PCFI) ay binigyang diin ang pagiging ‘representative’ o kinatawan ay isang karangalan at responsibilidad. Ngunit dahil nga sa pananatili ni Teves sa ibang bansa, ay nabaliwala na ang responsibilidad niya sa mga kababayan sa Ikatlong Distrito ng Negros.
“The title of ‘representative’ is both an honor and a pledge, a bond of trust between the elected and their constituents. In this bond, the needs of the 3rd District of Negros Oriental must always be paramount. Regrettably, Representative Teves’s extended sojourns and overseas endeavors have called this bond into question.
The weighty implications of labeling an elected member of the House as a ‘terrorist’ are profound. Such serious designations, when confirmed, threaten to blemish the honor and standing of our venerated institution both at home and on the global stage,” saad sa pahayag ni PCFI President Elizaldy Co.
Sa panig naman ng Nationalist People’s Coaliton na siyang partido ni Teves, umaasa silang isolated case lang ang kaso ng dating kasamahan.
Ayon kay NPC Secretary-General Jack Duavit, siniguro ng kanilang partido na sa inilabas na committee report ay walang pre-judging o panghuhusga kay Teves bilang isang kriminal o terorista.
Dagdag pa ng Rizal solon na para sa kanila, naging patas ang Ethics Committee sa pagtalakay sa kaso ni Teves.
“We hope that this is an isolated case. I hope that no member will do anything that will lead to his or her expulsion… This is the first time this happened and history will judge this. They won’t be judging what we’re saying here in the press, they’ll be judging the document. I believe they were fair, makikita naman po sa body [ng document], in the wording,” ani Duavit. | ulat ni Kathleen Jean Forbes
