00:00 Negros Oriental Third District Representative Arnulfo Arnitevez Jr. was already investigated.
00:07 For more details on this issue, let's report to our co-host Mela Lezmora's live.
00:13 Mela.
00:14 The investigation of Negros Oriental Representative Arnitevez was continued.
00:20 In the plenary session earlier, the House Ethics Committee explained their recommendation that the camera should be adopted.
00:29 In the vote of 265 in favor, 0 in oppose and 3 abstain,
00:35 Negros Oriental Third District Representative Arnulfo Arnitevez Jr. was officially dismissed by the Congress of Expulsion.
00:44 This means that the members of the House of Representatives were dismissed from their positions.
00:48 They were only accompanied by a former member of the House of Representatives.
00:51 He also followed the recommendation of the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges.
00:56 According to Co-op not Co-Party List Representative Philimon Esparres, who was led by the committee,
01:01 their recommendation was unanimous and passed through due process,
01:05 which was based on the continuous disorderly behavior of Tevez and his violation of the Code of Conduct of the Camera.
01:12 You may remember that Tevez was suspended from the camera twice.
01:18 He was sent home by the Philippines several times to fulfill his duty,
01:22 but he was not shown up because of the violence in his life.
01:26 Tevez was accused of the death of the former Negros Oriental Governor Ruel De Gamo,
01:31 and he was also facing several cases.
01:33 Recently, he was also declared a terrorist by the Anti-Terrorism Council.
01:37 A while ago, there was a press conference here in the camera,
01:42 and the members of the House of Representatives explained that it was not solely or not only because he was declared a terrorist,
01:50 but also because he was suspended from his post.
01:52 But what they are repeatedly saying is the disorderly behavior of the judge and his violation of the Code of Conduct of the Camera.
02:02 On the side of Tevez's camp, we are still trying to get his camp's statement,
02:08 but in the former statement of Atty. Ferdinand Topacio, Tevez's lawyer,
02:12 he said that if the situation reached expulsion, they can file a case against the Supreme Court.
02:18 What they are saying here in the camera is that they are ready for any action of Tevez's camp,
02:24 and this is also a step forward in the right process.
02:27 Ma'am?
02:28 Mela, this is a historic first because there was a convicted congressman since 1987.
02:37 The question now is, Mela, what is the reason for this expulsion?
02:42 He cannot fulfill his duty and can he still be called a congressman?
02:48 [inaudible]
02:51 Ma'am, let's be clear, this is very historic, but this is the first time that the convicts themselves
03:00 have been expelled from their congressmen.
03:03 In the past, there were also congressmen who were expelled or expelled,
03:06 but that was because the court had a decision on their case, something happened, or they resigned themselves.
03:13 This is the first time that their own fellow congressmen are being expelled.
03:19 Ma'am, you said earlier what will be the effect of this?
03:21 We asked the press earlier, right?
03:23 It means that he will really be gone as a congressman and as a part of the rules of the camera,
03:30 he will be an automatic legislative caretaker of the Negros Oriental 3rd District
03:35 that Tevez is holding.
03:37 He will be held by House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
03:41 The rules are that the House Speaker will be held first,
03:44 but later, the plenary of the camera can also vote if there are other congressmen
03:49 that will be assigned to his district.
03:52 For now, we are still waiting for a different action,
03:57 Tevez's camp on this, but as it is, the judges said in the press conference earlier here in the camera,
04:04 that it will be effective, he will be removed from the role of members here in the camera,
04:10 and we are waiting for a different action,
04:12 but yes, to be straight, the straight term there is that he will be expelled as a congressman.
04:20 Okay, thank you very much, Mela Luz Mora.
