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Arnie Teves: From self-confessed reformed drug user to expelled lawmaker

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RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. gives a statement regarding alleged threats his camp discovered back in January. Courtesy of Arnolfo Teves Jr. Facebook page/File" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/03/22/20230322-teves.jpg"/><figcaption>Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. gives a statement regarding alleged threats his camp discovered back in January. <em>Courtesy of Arnolfo Teves Jr. Facebook page/File</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA (UPDATED) — For 36 years starting in 1987, the congressman of the third district of Negros Oriental has always been surnamed Teves — until Arnolfo &quot;Arnie&quot; Teves Jr. was expelled last week in an unprecedented vote at the House of Representatives.</p><p>Former Finance Secretary Margarito Teves was congressman from 1987 to 1992, 1992 to 1995 and 1995 to 1998 during the 8th, 9th, and 10th Congresses. </p><p>When he was term-limited under the 1987 constitution, his father Herminio, who was already congressman of the first district in the pre-martial law 7th Congress, became congressman for the third district from 1998 to 2001, 2001 to 2004, and 2004 to 2007 in the 11th, 12th, and 13th Congresses. </p><p>When Herminio himself was term-limited by 2007, grandson Pryde Henry took over the third district from 2007 to 2010, 2010 to 2013, and 2013 to 2016 in the 14th, 15th and 16th congresses. </p><p>By 2016, it was Pryde&#x27;s brother, Arnolfo &quot;Arnie&quot; Teves, Jr, who served in the 17th Congress from 2016 to 2019, the 18th Congress from 2019 to 2022, and the incumbent 19th Congress from 2022 to 2025.</p><p>But while there isn&#x27;t much said or recorded about the earlier Teves lawmakers, Arnolfo Jr&#x27;s turn as a lawmaker has always been controversial. </p><p>Arnie, as he is fondly called by those close to him, broke into the congressional scene by proposing an inexpensive rehabilitation program for drug users before he assumed office. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/20/16/former-drug-user-unveils-inexpensive-rehab-program">Former drug user unveils inexpensive rehab program</a></li></ul><p>Shortly after beginning his first term, on August 1, 2016, House records show that the then Deputy Majority Leader already came clean to his colleagues about his past drug use in a privileged speech.</p><p>&quot;You know, as a recovering addict, I was a drug addict for a very long time, but I have been clean for the last 16 years. I do not even take alcohol.&quot; Teves, Jr said.</p><p>Since then he would casually refer to his past drug use in press conferences and speeches.</p><p>In 2018, Rep. LRay Villafuerte asked Teves to explain his alleged link to illegal e-gambling and an online sabong platform. That same year, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office board member Sandra Cam and Teves figured in a heated discussion after she accused him of controlling gambling operations in his province. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/01/18/word-war-erupts-between-sandra-cam-lawmaker">Word war erupts between Sandra Cam, lawmaker</a></li></ul><p>He gained attention again in 2020 after engaging in a word war with then Deputy Speaker LRay Villafuerte over the House Speakership. </p><p>Arnie was a close ally of Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco, whose turn at the Speakership had come while Villafuerte is a close ally of then-Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano. </p><p>Velasco allies were then seeking the enforcement of a controversial term sharing agreement brokered by then-President Rodrigo Duterte. It eventually led to Teves becoming one of the Deputy Speakers of Velasco when he finally assumed the Speakership.</p><p>Teves&#x27; son, Kurt Matthew Teves, was involved in a mauling incident after he punched a security guard of BF Homes Parañaque in March 2022. Kurt apologized for the incident and resigned from his post as ex-officio member of the Negros Oriental provincial board. Arnie urged the public not to judge his son. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/23/22/teves-son-apologizes-quits-post-after-mauling-incident">Lawmaker’s son apologizes, quits local post after mauling incident</a></li></ul><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1975191" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><p>In July the same year, Teves filed a bill to make <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/classified-odd/07/26/22/lawmaker-wants-to-make-ghosting-an-emotional-offense">ghosting</a> an emotional offense. He also filed a bill to rename the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) to Ferdinand E. Marcos International Airport. </p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2110167" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><p>House records also show Teves proposed to mandate the authentication and registration of online and social media accounts. </p><p>Before he was expelled, he had authored 42 House bills in the current Congress, co-authored 4 other measures and served as vice-chair of the committee on Games and Amusements and member of the committees on Food Security, Legislative Francises and Nuclear Energy.</p><p>During deliberations for the 2023 budget, Teves sought P1 billion worth of farm-to-market roads for agricultural districts and the conversion of cogon lands into upland rice farms.</p><p>&quot;Matagal ko na itong sinusulong na dapat mabigyang pansin yung mga farm to market roads natin ngunit magkano ang natatanggap ng bawat distrito bawat taon? Each district receives about P20 million in farm to market road allocations every year,&quot; Teves said. </p><p>&quot;Ilang kilometro ang 20M? 2 kilometro. Ano gagawin mo sa 2 km na daan na pagkatapos ng 2 km na semento gatuhod naman ang putik. It ends up our products become very expensive to transport and kung kinuha man ng trader doon sa farmer nagiging masyadong mura dahil nga sa mas mataas na transport cost.&quot;</p><p>(I have been advocating for farm to market roads for a long time. Each district receives P20 million a year. That can only build a 2-kilometer road. What will you do with a 2-km road when the connecting path is muddy? Our products end up becoming expensive to transport and traders pay a low amount to farmers for their harvest.)</p><p>Unused appropriation could be used for these roads, he said. </p><p>In the aftermath of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo&#x27;s death earlier this year, Teves did not come home from overseas travel despite the expiration of his authorization from the House of Representatives, citing threats to his life. </p><p>This led to his suspension from the House twice for a total of 120 days. His second suspension came with the forfeiture of his committee entitlements. </p><p>He has since engaged in a word war with Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla while occasionally criticizing both Speaker Martin Romualdez and President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vckyPuoSz00?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><p>Arnolfo Jr&#x27;s third and final term in the House however came to a historic halt last August 16, 2023--about 22 months and 2 weeks before it constitutionally expires---when his own colleagues expelled him for disorderly behavior and violation of the code of conduct. </p><p>They cited his continued absences, his failed political asylum bid in Timor Leste, and indecent behavior when he danced in his underwear on social media. </p><p>It was the first time ever that the chamber, known for its collegiality, turned against one of its own to the point of kicking him out. </p><p>The closest the House came to this in the past was the case of Nueva Ecija Rep. Nicanor de Guzman, who resigned before the House voted on his expulsion as he faced charges of illegal possession of firearms. Other lawmakers didn&#x27;t get expelled from the House this way because Romeo Jalosjos Sr and Ruben Ecleo, Jr were dropped from the House rolls after their criminal convictions became final.</p><p>His camp plans to challenge his expulsion before the Supreme Court.</p><p>At just over 50 years old, in a country known for political comebacks, what Arnie Teves does next could spell the difference between his family&#x27;s continued prominence in local politics and his own personal political survival.</p>

Since 1987, the congressman of the 3rd district of Negros Oriental has always been surnamed Teves until Arnolfo Teves Jr. was expelled last week.

Arnie Teves: From self-confessed reformed drug user to expelled lawmaker

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Arnie Teves: From self-confessed reformed drug user to expelled lawmaker

RG Cruz,

ABS-CBN News

Published Aug 21, 2023 02:48 PM PHT

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Updated Aug 22, 2023 11:17 AM PHT

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Arnie Teves

Arnolfo Teves Jr

House of Representatives

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