By Billy Begas
Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves on Wednesday asked for a two-month leave from the House of Representatives due to a “very grave security threat” to his life and his family.
The letter was received by the Human Resource Management Service, Legal Affairs Department, Office of the Secretary-General, and the office of Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.
Teves assured the House that he will come back as soon as the threat subsides.
Teves also posted a message in the Viber thread of congressmen and reiterated the threat to his and his family’s life and confirm that he sought a two-month leave of absence.
“I’ve already been judged publicly despite the absence of legal charges against me,” Teves said. “I have already been persecuted by some authorities through planting of evidences in my house and other properties. My people are unlawfully arrested and unjustly charged.”
Teves also said that Speaker Romualdez asked him to go home and assured him that he will be protected.
“I said thank you but I’m sorry because it’s hard for me to trust the authorities who might be assigned to guard me as the ones who planted evidences were also government authorities. I’m not away because of guilt but I’m away for safety,” Teves added.
Teves said that he received information that “some people want me killed or at least jailed for whatever benefit it may serve them best.”
“I’m a victim of persecution and harassment. How come this case is so unique in that things are targeted solely at me at lightning fast pace when all other cases have been moving very slowly,” he added.
The solon also stressed that those who are personally acquainted with him are aware that “I’m not dumb.”
“I hope and I ask you all to keep an open mind and also ask the authorities to look at all other angles. Look at the wife’s pics during the wake of Bobong Divinagracia as opposed to how she looks during wake of his husband,” he added.
Teves also reiterated that he would not benefit from the death of Gov. Roel Degamo.
“Di pwedeng ako ang gumawa ng krimen na ito dahil wala naman ako mapapala at di rin ako tanga. Please also help me reach out to our former colleague Sec Boying to please be open minded and give me a fair trial,” he said.
He added, “Ngayon pa lang guilty na ako sa public perception due to the interviews at hindi ako nagsasalita. Na ethics hearing pa daw ako kanina. Bakit ganon? Ilan ba sa atin dyan ang may mga absences—-di naman na e-ethics hearing kaagad. We belong to the same house.”
“I hope I’m not treated as an outcast just because trending ako ngayon. Again, sana niintindihan nyo kung bakit ako di nagpapakita. Ayoko magpakamatay. Ayoko ko rin makulong ng walang kasalanan. I remain a colleague and a friend,” he stressed.
