Teves' bid for political asylum to bear 'great weight' in House's decision on future sanctions

The House Committee on Ethics is set to investigate the reported application of suspended Negros Oriental Rep Arnolfo Teves Jr. for political asylum in Timor Leste which may result in further sanctions against the lawmaker, House ethics panel chairperson Felipe Espares of COOP-NATCCO party-list said Wednesday.

Espares said the Ethics panel will convene on May 23, a day after the expiration of Teves' 60-day suspension for his continued absence without travel authority.

“If there are the same, continuing violations, then the committee will have motu propio jurisdiction on this [case] and talk of possible [additional] sanctions,” said Espares.

“[And] even if we [in the House ethics panel] recommend possibly another suspension due to continuing violations, other members of the House can amend that and make that into expulsion. But we cannot say [anything for sure] right now. Ang mas mabigat rito ay iyong pag-apply niya ng political asylum,” Espares added.

(What has great weight here is his application for a political asylum.)

Teves has refused to come home amid security concerns as he is being linked to the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo. 

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has said Teves appears to be the "main mastermind"

Teves has denied committing any crime in various posts on his Facebook account and accused government authorities of planting evidence against him.

But the House ethics panel said such public statements made on social media won’t affect their decision.

“Those [Facebook posts] do not affect the deliberations of this committee. We don’t consider those [material],” House ethics panel vice chairperson Ria Vergara pointed out.

“Him (Teves) seeking political asylum, that is something that we would look into,” Vergara added.

Further, Espares said the House won’t let Teves get away with prolonged absence given the crimes he is being accused of.

“We cannot afford a situation wherein someone can say the House did not do anything about this, especially involving disorderly behavior,” Espares said.

The filing of multiple complaints by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), including murder and frustrated murder, against Teves is now ongoing, Remulla said on Wednesday.

GMA News Online has reached out to Teves' camp for comment but they have yet to reply as of posting time. —VAL, GMA Integrated News