MANILA, Philippines – None of expelled lawmaker Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves’ party mates in the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) came to the rescue the day he got the axe.

“There was a question earlier if we tried to save him. It’s never about saving anyone,” NPC president and Rizal 1st District Representative Jack Duavit told reporters following the unprecedented move in the House on Wednesday, August 16.

Just three months ago, Duavit stood before his fellow colleagues, delivering an impassioned appeal to party mate Teves to come home and face the music.

At the time, the Negros Oriental 3rd District representative avoided expulsion, and instead got suspended for another 60 days after the same kind of penalty which was first slapped in March expired.

“Think of this not as an attack on you, but, please, look at it as a lifeline,” Duavit said in his speech inside the halls of Batasang Pambansa in May.

Historic vote

Duavit acknowledged that NPC was among groups that tried to delay Teves’ expulsion after the first suspension order against him lapsed.

“It was not just us. There were concerns. Are we going too fast? Are we doing it correctly? This is the first time it’s happened, history will judge this,” he said on Wednesday.

History is indeed the word, as the chamber, prior to this week, had never really expelled one of its own since the beginning of the 5th Philippine Republic in 1986.

Based on House records, the last time the ethics committee recommended the expulsion of an erring lawmaker was in 1990, after Nueva Ecija lawmaker Nicanor de Guzman Jr. was found guilty by a trial court of gun smuggling. The House, however, only voted to suspend him, although he resigned months later.

A total of 265 lawmakers voted in favor of the ethics committee recommendation to boot Teves out of office on the grounds of disorderly behavior and violation of code of conduct.

Based on the report, his continued absences from the chamber and his attempt to seek political asylum in Timor-Leste amounted to abandonment of public office, while the Facebook video of him dancing in boxer shorts brought “dishonor” to the House.

No one voted against the recommendation, while three others – all from Makabayan bloc and none from NPC – abstained.

Play Video

Teves – who has been accused of many criminal activities, including his supposed hand in the killing of Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo in March – has refused to come home, citing supposed threats to his life.

“For example, a House member says they are sick. They can easily prove that with documents from their physicians. But with Teves, he may believe that there are people trying to kill him, but it’s not something that has been proven or can be proven. And how can we justify to employees that we will give him a pass for whatever reason?” Duavit explained.

“The issue here was really if he can just be absent without taking definite leave,” he added. “It’s untenable and not defensible.”

‘Fair’

Even though Teves’ back is against the wall, Duavit believes Teves’ case was treated by the House properly.

“I think [the committee report] was fair. You can see it in the body, in the wording. I know there were moves to expel him much earlier, but they deferred that. He was given every opportunity available,” he said.

“Nowhere in this committee report is he pre-judged for a crime. In this page, it is sufficient to cast doubt, that it never says he’s a terrorist,” he added, referring to the Anti-Terrorism Council’s move to declare Teves a terrorist.

Teves has repeatedly maintained that he is innocent, denying any involvement in Degamo’s assassination, or the terrorist group he supposedly leads.

Play Video

“Today is a dark day for the rule of law and the dawning of a new age of the tyranny of the majority, where might is right and the prevailing principle is the law of force rather than the force of law,” Teves’ lawyer Ferdinand Topacio said on Wednesday.

Duavit said it will still have to discuss whether NPC would also expel Teves from the party, but added that it remains a possibility.

The NPC is the political party founded in 1992 by the late tycoon Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco Jr. for his presidential bid. – Rappler.com