Arnolfo Teves Jr.

Arnolfo "Arnie" Alipit Teves Jr. (born August 10, 1971) is a Filipino politician. A member of the Nationalist People's Coalition, he currently serves as a member of the Philippine House of Representatives representing the 3rd District of Negros Oriental since 2016. He served as a Deputy Speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives from December 7, 2020, until June 1, 2022.

In this Philippine name, the middle name or maternal family name is Alipit and the surname or paternal family name is Teves.
The Honorable
Arnolfo Teves Jr.
Official portrait, 2022
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines
In office
December 7, 2020 – June 1, 2022
House SpeakerLord Allan Velasco
Member of the House of Representatives from Negros Oriental's 3rd district
Assumed office
June 30, 2016
Suspended since March 22, 2023
Preceded byPryde Henry Teves
Personal details
Born
Arnolfo Alipit Teves Jr.

(1971-08-10) August 10, 1971
Bayawan, Negros Oriental, Philippines[1]
Political partyNPC (2015–2016; 2021–present)
Other political
affiliations		PDP–Laban (2016–2021)
RelationsMargarito Teves (uncle)
Pryde Henry Teves (brother)
Lorenzo Teves (granduncle)
OccupationPolitician

Political career

In 2016, Teves was elected member of the Philippine House of Representatives representing the 3rd District of Negros Oriental. He was re-elected in 2019 and in 2022.

Teves has expressed support for Duterte's war on drugs, proposing an inexpensive rehabilitation program for drug dependents, and stating that he himself "was a very long time a drug addict" but has been "clean for the last 16 plus years" last 2016.[2]

Congressional career and controversy

On September 17, 2020, Teves challenged Camarines Sur 2nd District Representative L-ray Villafuerte to a fistfight and dropped homophobic slurs to refer to Villafuerte after the former questioned the budget allocation of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to various congressional districts in the country, particularly the funds allocated to the localities of Villafuerte and House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano.[3]

Teves also pushed Paolo Duterte to stage a coup d'état against Cayetano.[4]

Teves is one of the 70 representatives who voted to deny the ABS-CBN franchise on July 10, 2020.[5]

In the 19th Congress, Teves filed a bill seeking to rename Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Ferdinand E. Marcos International Airport in honor of the late Ferdinand Marcos.[6][7] Aquino was assassinated in 1983 during the Marcos dictatorship. Teves also filed a bill seeking to declare ghosting as an emotional offense without suggesting any penalties, instead stating that it "should be punished".[8]

Assassination of Roel Degamo
Main article: Pamplona massacre

In March 4, 2023, one month after the Supreme Court proclaimed Roel Degamo as governor of Negros Oriental in a contested election[9] versus former governor, Arnolfo Teves' brother, Pryde Henry Teves,[10] Degamo was assassinated in his home. Teves has denied any involvement in his death,[11] slamming those who try to pin him down and citing that the Teves's have nothing to gain.[12] He has been on medical leave in the United States since February 28,[13] and in March 15, has requested for a two-month leave, citing a "very grave threat" to his life and his family.[14]

In March 22, 2023, the House of Representatives unanimously voted to suspend Teves for failing to return to the country despite having an expired travel clearance.[15] The travel authority issued to Teves was valid only between February 28 and March 9.[14] Suspension lasts 60 days and is the second highest penalty in the House, only next to expulsion.[15]

Teves remained abroad. On May 9, Teves had an application to seek political asylum in Timor Leste rejected.[16] The following day the Department of Justice was informed that a blue notice was issued against Teves by Interpol.[17]

Personal life

From a clan of politicians and businessmen, Arnie Teves Jr. is the brother of politician Pryde Henry Teves. They are nephews of Margarito Teves, Former Secretary of Finance of Philippines under President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, and grandsons of Former Governor of Negros Oriental Herminio “Meniong” Teves. They are also related to another governor, Lorenzo Teves.[1]

Since January 2023, Teves is also a radio host of Teves Cares Live: Aksyon, Tulong, Solusyon on DZRH and DZRH News Television.[18]

In March 2022, Teves' then 24-year-old son Kurt Matthew Teves was caught on video and went viral after he beat up and challenged a village security guard to a shootout.[19][20][21]

References
  1. Bolledo, Jairo (March 12, 2023). "Who is Arnie Teves, Negros Oriental's 3rd District representative?". Rappler.
  2. Cayabyab, Marc Jayson (August 1, 2016). "Solon admits being reformed drug addict". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved August 1, 2016.
  3. Inquirer.net (September 18, 2020). "Word war to slugfest? Teves dares Villafuerte to a fistfight".
  4. Mara Cepeda (September 23, 2020). "In House power play, Speaker Cayetano's Palace dreams are at stake". Rappler.
  5. "List of lawmakers who voted for and against ABS-CBN franchise renewal". The Philippine Star.
  6. Raymund, Antonio. "Solon wants to rename NAIA after Marcos Sr". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  7. Vivienne, Gulla. "Congressman wants NAIA renamed after Marcos Sr". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  8. Cabato, Regine; Hassan, Jennifer (July 27, 2022). "Filipino lawmaker wants to punish people for ghosting". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  9. "Debunking The Confusion With Nuisance Candidate In Negros' Gubernatorial Election". The Negros Times. May 12, 2022. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  10. de Leon, Dwight (February 14, 2023). "Supreme Court: Degamo remains Negros Oriental governor". Rappler. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
  11. Cruz, Moises (March 7, 2023). "Teves denies hand in Degamo killing". The Manila Times. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
  12. Cruz, RG (March 6, 2023). "Rep. Teves slams alleged attempts to tag him in Gov. Degamo's death". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
  13. Crisostomo, Sheila. "House suspends Teves for 60 days". Philstar.com. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
  14. Panti, Llanesca. "Negros Oriental lawmaker Teves seeks two-month leave 'due to grave security threat'". GMA News Online. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
  15. de Leon, Dwight (March 22, 2023). "Arnie Teves suspended: In rare move, House sanctions one of its own". Rappler. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
  16. "Timor-Leste denies Teves' application for political asylum". CNN Philippines. May 9, 2023. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
  17. Casilao, Joahna Lei (May 10, 2023). "Interpol notice issued vs. Arnie Teves, says Remulla". GMA News. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
  18. "Teves Cares sa DZRH" (in Tagalog). Pilipino Star Ngayon. December 18, 2022. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  19. "Congressman Teves' son tagged in punching village security guard". GMA News. March 21, 2022. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
  20. "Lawmaker's son apologizes, quits local post after mauling incident". ABS-CBN News. March 23, 2022. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  21. "Security guard na sinaktan ng anak ni Cong. Teves 'di na mahagilap" (in Filipino). News Presenter PH. March 25, 2022. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
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