GOVERNOR Pryde Teves has relinquished his post days after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) declared Roel Degamo as the real winner in Negros Oriental gubernatorial election held on May 9, 2022.
Degamo led by more than 30,000 votes during a recount done by Comelec based on the request by the camp of Degamo.
Degamo's group filed a petition before the Comelec on October 13, 2021, or three months before the printing of ballots to declare his namesake a nuisance candidate.
Carillo said the subject of their petition was a certain Grego Gaudia, who ran for governor using the name Ruel Degamo.
Teves got 301,319 votes, while Degamo had 281,773 votes and Gaudia garnered 49,953 votes in the last May 9 elections.
Teves was declared winner and assumed office on July 1.
But during the recount, Gaudia's votes were added to Degamo's, bringing Degamo’s total number of votes to 331,726.
Degamo assumed as governor after Teves vacated his office at the Provincial Capitol in Dumaguete City, capital of Negros Oriental.
Lawyer Gerry Carillo, legal counsel of Degamo, said Teves was given until October 11 to vacate the Office of the Governor.
Carillo said the group of Teves started to pack up their things in the evening of Monday, October 10, until Tuesday dawn, October 11.
"Gipahibawo lang mi nga ang grupo ni kanhi Gob Teves ninaog na sila unya gi-clear una sa atong kapulisan ang opisina sa gobernador and the entire Capitol premises and I assumed within this day mo-hold na og office si Gob Degamo didto sa Kapitolyo," Carillo said on Wednesday, October 12.
(We were informed that the group of Governor Teves has already stepped down and the police have already cleared the office of the governor and the entire Capitol premises and I assumed Governor Degamo will hold office in the Capitol within this day.)
Carillo said Teves failed to get an injunction order from the court within the seven-day period, prompting them to leave the Capitol.
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr., in a statement, thanked the officials in Negros Oriental and Teves for respecting and adhering to the Comelec ruling.
“We laud DILG-7 Regional Director Leocadio T. Trovela and Provincial Director Farah Gentuya for being at the helm of negotiations and for guiding the smooth transition of the governorship to Degamo. We also thank Dumaguete City Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo for his role in ensuring a smooth communication with both Teves and Degamo,” Abalos said.
He said now with the transition, the delivery of local government services in the province will no longer be disrupted.
“We appeal to the supporters of both Degamo and Teves to set aside politics and to work in unison for the benefit and welfare of all Negrenses,” said Abalos. (PAC/LMY/TPT)