Teves wants House ethics panel to stop hearings on him

By Maricel V. Cruz

EMBATTLED Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. on Monday demanded that the House Committee on Ethics be enjoined to stop its proceedings against him, calling it a violation of “internal rules.”

In a letter sent to the committee chaired by COOP-NATCCO Rep. Felimon Espares, Teves through his lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, said the committee should defer action against an ethics case against a congressman who also faces a complaint before

another body, pending action on those cases.

Espares has yet to issue a statement on the matter as of press time.

“This is to prevent conflicting decision from different bodies and this is an acknowledgement on the part of the House committee that any House committee is not a trier of facts; it is not a court of law; it is not the most competent to rule on certain issues of facts or law before it,” Topacio said.

Topacio said the proscription of Teves as a terrorist was pending before the Anti-Terrorism Council and that the case might might be elevated to the court. He added that Teves was also facing a case of abandonment of office at the Office of the Ombudsman due to his continued absences from legislative duties.

“Para sa amin po papasok na po yung rule under section 2 na dapat pigilin muna itong pagdinig na ito at hintayin yung desisyon noong Ombudsman at ng AntiTerrorism Council sapagkat nakalagay po dito hihintayin po yung desisyon by final judgment,” Topacio stated.

“Dapat po tigil po immediately itong pag- suspension as administrative and homicide charges were being prepared against them.

Secretary Abalos was accompanied by NAPOLCOM vice-chairman and executive officer Alberto Bernardo, PNP deputy chief for administration Lt. Gen. Rhodel Sermonia, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Brig. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez and Police Regional Office Region 4A (CALABARZON) director, Brig. Gen. Carlito Gaces.

During the press briefing, Abalos asserted that the police became reckless during operations in Imus, Cavite and in Navotas, saying they entered the house without a search warrant and shot dead Baltazar without even confirming the identity of their target.