THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) will no longer push through with the special polls in the third district of Negros Oriental to fill up the position vacated by expelled congressman Arnolfo Teves Jr.
Comelec Chairman George Garcia said Wednesday, November 8, 2023, that the Comelec en banc issued Memorandum 231244, adopting the recommendation of the poll body’s law department to cancel the conduct of special election in the third legislative district of Negros Oriental and for the commission to discontinue its ongoing preparation for the special polls.
The recommendation was based on House Resolution 154, urging the Comelec to reconsider its decision to conduct a special election on December 9, 2023 for the replacement of Teves “due to existing circumstances and present predicaments affecting the province.”
Cited in the House resolution were the pending disqualification cases against winning Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) in Central Visayas and Teves’ pending petition before the Supreme Court against his expulsion as a member of the House.
“Whereas, the conduct of special elections in the Third Legislative District of the Province of Negros Oriental at this time and under the present circumstances may have a negative impact on the peace and order situation not only in the district but also in the surrounding areas in the Province,” the resolution stated.
Garcia said they have already informed the regional director of the Comelec, the province’s Comelec supervisor, including all election officers and parties, such as the citizens arm and interest groups, and stakeholders about this development.
Among the three who filed their certificate of candidacy for the supposed special elections were Teves' brother Pryde Henry, Bacong Mayor Lenin Alviola, and retired Colonel Reynaldo Lopez.
“Ang Congress po ang may kapangyarihan na magpatawag ng special election. Ang Congress din ang may kapangyarihan na huwag magpatawag ng special election…The Comelec will just implement the mandate of the House of Representatives in this respect sapagkat miyembro po kasi nila ito (Congress has the power to call a special election. Congress also has the power not to call a special election...The Comelec will just implement the mandate of the House of Representatives in this respect because it is one of its members). This involves the question of membership. This should be resolved by the House of Representatives,” he said.
“Doon sa gastos, huwag pong mag-alala ang mga kababayan natin. Wala pa pong nagagastos na ganoon kalaki ang Commission on Elections. Hindi po siya in the millions... Ang pinakamalaki po kasing component o item ng isang budget, lalo na po sa isang special election ay 'yung honoraria ng teachers at dahil wala pa naman tayong nagagastos o ibinibigay sa mga teachers, 65 to 70 percent po 'yung honoraria ng teachers. Dahil po sa nangyaring ito (election cancellation), sila naman po ang may kagustuhan na, ay at least po makakatipid po ang komisyon ng more or less P75 million,” he added.
(Our countrymen should not worry about the cost. The Commission on Elections has never spent anything like that. He is not in the millions... The largest component or item of a budget, especially in a special election, is the teachers' honoraria and since we have not yet spent or given anything to the teachers, 65 to 70 percent the teachers' honoraria. Because of this (election cancellation), the commission can at least save more or less P75 million.)
Teves was expelled from the rolls of the House of Representatives on August 16 over his continued unauthorized absence, pursuit of political asylum and his indecent behavior as shown in a video of him dancing wearing only his undergarments, which he uploaded on social media.
The Committee on Ethics and Privileges who recommended Teves’ expulsion said they also considered the embattled lawmaker’s designation as terrorist by the Anti-Terrorism Council, which came following his implication to the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo and several other individuals in the province over the past years.
House Speaker Martin Romualdez was designated as the legislative caretaker of the third district of Negros Oriental.
In September 2023, a Manila court issued an arrest warrant against Teves and three of his alleged cohorts over the brazen killing of Degamo and nine others.
Three more murder charges were filed against him over the death of three other individuals in the province in 2019. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)