The House of Representatives on Tuesday adopted the resolution which calls the Commission on Election (Comelec) to conduct a special election to fill the seat of expelled Negros Oriental 3rd District Rep. Arnolfo 'Arnie' Teves Jr.
House adopted House Resolution No. (HRN) 1212 that was introduced and filed by House Speaker Martin Romualdez, Zamboanga City 2nd District Rep. Manuel Jose 'Mannix' Dalipe, and Minority leader Marcelino Libanan.
"To certify the existence of a vacancy in the House of Representatives, particularly the Representative for the Third Legislative District of the Province of Negros Oriental and call on the Commission on Election to fill the vacancy through a special election," the lawmakers stated in the resolution.
They cited Section 9, Article VI of the 1987 Constitution which stated that the "House or Senate may call for a special election to fill the vacancy, but the Senator or Member of the House of Representatives shall serve only for the unexpired term.”
Just in> House Resolution 1212 pinagtibay ng Kamara para magpatawag ng special election sa 3rd district ng Negros Oriental.
— milky rigonan 💋 (@milkyrigonan) August 22, 2023
Ito ay matapos mapatalsik sa Kamara si Arnolfo Teves Jr.@dzrhnews pic.twitter.com/Nyx3VIZ2mC
The three solons also cited Section 1 of Republic Act No. 6645 or An Act Prescribing the Manner of Filing a Vacancy in the Congress of the Philippines which stated that Comelec, upon receipt of a resolution of the Senate or the House of Representatives, may "shall hold a special election" in case vacancy arises in Senate at least 18 months or in the House of Representatives at least one year before the next regular election for members of Congress.
Romualdez, Dalipe, and Libanan also cited that Comelec shall call and hold a special election to fill the vacancy not earlier than 60 days or longer than 90 days after the occurrence of the vacancy as provided under Paragraph 2 of Section 4 of Republic Act No. 7166 or An Act Providing for Synchronized National and Local Elections.
Last August 16, the lower house expelled Teves as the representative of Negros Oriental 3rd District due to his disorderly behavior and violation of the Code of Conduct.
The embattled lawmaker has yet to return to the country since he went on medical leave in the United States last February.
