The lawyer of Negros Oriental 3rd District Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. maintained that there was no compulsory order for the lawmaker to return home and report for work, saying the House of Representative leadership was merely giving advice. | GabrielLaluINQ
“This stand finds support in the pronouncement of the House Secretary-General that ‘the House cannot compel the lawmaker to come home since his trip is not in an official capacity’,” he added.
According to Topacio, Teves regrets not being able to comply with the committee’s request for him to attend the hearing physically but also notes that lawmakers who attend online can be considered present — just like in the plenary session and committee hearings. Topacio said Teves maintains that the reason for him not returning — security concerns after being implicated as the mastermind in the killing of Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo — are among valid reasons why a lawmaker cannot be physically present.“At any rate, our client informs us that under the hybrid system adopted by the House, virtual meetings are allowed and considered as an actual presence for most intents and purposes of the House rules,” Topacio noted.
“In addition, Rep. Teves invites the attention of the Committee, and the House in general, to the latitudinarian attitude of the House to absences made by its members when the same is due to good and valid causes. We feel that grave and serious security concerns are one of those valid causes,” he added.
During the committee’s first hearing on ethics and privileges on the said issue last Wednesday, committee chair and COOP-NATCCO party-list Rep. Felimon Espares said Teves would be given
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